Little Towns
by TheLionTree
Summary: Story for the Fallout Big Bang. Art by Alberto Gang. AU where LW twins. Cathy and Caleb are ejected from Vault 101-She copes by running into the arms of first Burke then Harkness. Everything seems fine until Burke gets jealous. Meanwhile her brother spends all his time becoming
1. Chapters 01-02

_Little Towns_

**Author**: TheLionTree—Theliontree dot tumblr dot com  
**Artist**: AlbertoGang-albertogang dot tumblr dot com  
**Setting**: Fallout 3  
**Characters/Pairings**: OC/Burke, OC/Harkness, Butch, Lone Wanderer, Charon, Bryan Wilks  
**Disclaimer**: The Fallout series and all its settings and characters are © Bethesda Softworks.  
**Warnings**: Explicit, non-con, violence, kidnapping, domestic abuse, female masturbation, sex  
**Summary**: AU where LW = twins. Cathy and Caleb are ejected from Vault 101-She copes by running into the arms of first Burke then Harkness. Everything seems fine until Burke gets jealous. Meanwhile her brother spends all his time becoming a hero and begins resent his sister. Long and Angsty.  
**Author's Notes**: Dedicated to the amazing people in the Fallout fandom. Special thanks to my beta reader ToFunction and my artist AlbertoGang.

* * *

… _she was sitting in a window seat staring out and she kept talking about _

_the Big Dipper and that Little Dipper and pointing; _

_and suddenly I realized that she thought we were in outer space looking down at the stars. _

_And I said: You know, I think those lights down there are the lights from little towns._

**-Laurie Anderson**

* * *

1

He named his children Caleb, after his father, and Catherine, after his wife. He made the announcement as the love of his life died so fast he barely had time to process it. Thirty minutes later Madison pulled him off her open chest.

She kept repeating, "She's gone, James. You need to let her go."

Stumbling over the instrument cart, James swam to the makeshift cradle holding his two children. He stared at the light yellow blanket draped over the side to prevent a draft. The sound of infants gurgling and moving should move something inside him, but it did not. His little babies, all alone with no mother. Reality hurt too much and James struggled to find joy.

Looking over his shoulder he could see Madison straightening the sheet over Catherine's face, the blood from her wounds seeping up through the rough-hewn cotton. His head remained turned, wondering why she hadn't closed her up so she'd look pretty. Then he remembered his wife wishing to be cremated. Why waste the sutures? Things moved fast while he stayed slow. People moved around the room but they seemed like fog particles.

"I'm so sorry James," Madison said, her hand placed gently on his arm. He remembered a night, years ago, when he'd broken her heart. Thankfully, she'd learned to forgive him.

"Did you see them?" She asked and motioned towards the crib.

"No," he said. Amazed he could say that much.

"You should go look," Madison nudged. "They were everything to Catherine and you owe it to her to be an amazing father. I'll take the body outside and stack some kindling; you tend to your babies."

He wished she'd contained her tears, spared everyone his pain. Catherine had been Madison's rival, and now she tended to her body as if they were sisters. He regretted not doing it himself but he'd fallen apart.

He waited until she'd wheeled out the corpse before he looked into the bassinet again. It felt wrong to look his children in the face with sorrow clouding his eyes. They were the last piece of the person he'd loved more than himself and they deserved love. As their chubby bodies writhed and kicked he heard Catherine's cry of joy at seeing them.

Tears fogging his vision James beheld the two pink, shriveled humans he'd help make. His daughter wiggled her legs as if she were kicking away the sides a prison, while son smiled up at him.

Medical training said babies were unable to smile on purpose, but as he looked at his infant boy he saw his wife's enchanting grin. His daughter started to scream, but James ignored it. Instead of helping her he clutched onto that narrow beam of happiness and refused to let it go.

* * *

2

On her tenth birthday Cathy tried to ram a sweet roll up Butch's nose. He'd tried to take it from her brother only to have Cathy wheel around and extract revenge. Butch responded by crying for his mother. Cathy's father swooped in and punished her for picking on him, her brother joining in on the admonishment.

For years she'd felt bad about being mean to Butch. They'd shared a thousand sweet rolls while they talked and joked. Still she'd never felt right about slighting him for picking on Caleb and tonight she hoped to make up for it.

Resurrecting an ancient red dress she'd traded off of Mrs. Henderson, she swapped her brother's baseball cap for a jar of transparent sequins and spent the next few days stitching them on. It looked like icing in the sun-lamps and the memory of the sweet roll tickled her as she hummed and worked.

When the last sequin had been secured, Cathy pulled the dress on and frowned at how it fit. Red fabric hung loose where it ought to be tight and bouncy, boobs were not a gift she'd gotten. Hopefully Butch would be surprised by how lovely she looked and wouldn't mind. He'd never seen her in a dress before, so he had to be impressed.

The button on the door compressed and she shoved the red fabric in a box next to her bed, tossing a book over it. Her brother stumbled into the room and fell into the bed across from her. Sixteen hours of guard duty and when he came home he'd immediately to go sleep. A shortage of housing in the vault kept them in their dad's house despite working and Cathy couldn't wait for her own room.

Caleb rubbed his chin, a fine showing of fuzz catching in the light. He was so proud of his beard despite it being fairly sparse. Thick patches of black next to patches of skin made it look more like he had mange than hair and she kept begging him to shave it. Frustration over the fact he wouldn't listen made her ask a question she knew would put him one edge.

"How's Amata?"

"I have no idea," he responded.

"Then why are you blushing?" Cathy teased.

"Why are you awake hours after curfew?" Caleb shot back. "Sneaking out to be with Butch again?"

"What do you think?"

While Caleb hadn't been blushing his words now forced on onto her cheeks. Hot and annoyed she felt her temper rise.

"You should hurry up and marry him so I can have my own room." Caleb turned to face the wall. "I'll buy a bottle of vodka to keep his mom away for the wedding night."

"That's rude," Cathy growled. "Butch's mom drinks cause her husband died, you should feel sorry for her. I hope if I get married they transfer you to Butch's old room and I'll get to stay here at home."

"With dad?" he scoffed. "Why do I not see that happening? Even if they offered, you'd say no. You can't wait to get out from under his thumb."

"You're getting me confused with you again," Cathy reminded her brother.

"Whatever." Caleb rolled onto his stomach and stared up at the lights. She felt tempted to pull the medical curtain between them. This had been how most of their conversations had gone for the last year, he said something rude, she pulled the curtain in a huff. Her father kept telling her not to be so sensitive and to remember how lucky she was to have a brother as good as Caleb.

"I ran into him in the hall." Caleb blurted out, distracting Cathy from her thoughts.

"Dad?"

"Yeah, Dad," Caleb responded. "He was up really late. Maybe he wanted to catch me at the end of my guard shift."

"What did he want?" Cathy felt startled by the news. Their father had always gone to bed at nine-thirty on the dot.

A scoff escaped Caleb's lips. "To ask if I would reconsider studying medicine. Said if I'd admit I cheated on my G.O.A.T. he'd talk to the overseer and ask him to reassign me. Same stuff, different day. Thing that bothered me though, he seemed really serious about it. Like if I said yes something important would happen."

"Sounds like dad." Cathy felt glib admitting this but her father had been upset about his son becoming a 'thug for hire.' It hadn't mattered Cathy received the highest score possible, his golden boy wanted to be a lowly police officer.

"What bothers me," he continued, "is that it didn't sound like dad. He seemed desperate for something I couldn't give him. So I told him 'no.' Reminded him that you were his kindred science geek and that he should be happy to have one sibling following in the family footsteps. I told him I wanted to be more adventurous, like mom."

Crossing her arms Cathy looked down at the box with her dress in it. She shook her head at what an idiot her brother could be. "Mom was a research scientist."

"That's what he said," Caleb chuckled. "The really weird thing, he told me he hoped I'd never have to be a hero and to remember Grognak is a comic book character."

"Maybe you need that reminder," Cathy said. Picking up the box with her dress in it she stood and pressed her elbow into the door, opening it up. "You're not some meat-head guard Caleb-you were always smarter than that. I wish you could see it."

"Sure, dad number two."

He turned to look at the wall again and Cathy knew she'd lost the battle. The only person he'd listen to anymore, Amata, would be no help. Time to make peace with Caleb's life being wasted. It made her sad to think he'd spend the rest of his life walking the halls of the vault like a retired cowboy, waiting for a moment of glory. If it were possible she'd find some way to manufacture a scenario where he came out feeling like a do-gooder. She couldn't, though. Instead she focused on making tonight special and headed towards the lavatory with her box in tow.


	2. Chapters 03-05

There is a lot more of this story to go...I just have to post it tonight after work. Also Deviant art is messing up, if that's your preferred reading style I will be updating that tonight after 6pm central, as well.

* * *

3

It took three minutes for Cathy to will herself into the dress. She'd sneaked down the hall and into the bathroom, pretending like she had a late night urge to pee. Luckily none of the guards noticed and she'd run to the stall at the far end of the bathroom to change.

Looking at the red dress in her hands, Cathy had a strange feeling tonight would unalterably change her life. Nerves made a swirling motion inside of her and she fought a sea of second thoughts and doubts. Time would cure this and she'd go forward, though. She'd been sneaking off to spend time with Butch for years.

Yet tonight felt different. The childish part of their relationship seemed to be over. They'd spent a long time sitting across from each other, talking idly and telling themselves they were only friends. Then one day he'd kissed her, a sloppy lingering kiss while Cathy forced down exploring hands. Slowly, that changed too.

Last time she'd gone over to Butch's she'd found herself naked except for her panties, sucking his dick for the fourth or fiftieth time and wondering when they would finally just screw. Not that either of them were unhappy with their present relationship, but Cathy wanted it to be special when it happened. So she'd made Butch back off, sulked in the dining room at a separate table, and finally told him she was ready but she needed romance.

He said he'd try.

Now she stood in the bathroom, red dress in hand, debating running the other way. She knew as she looked at the sequins she couldn't renege. She'd gone to so much trouble to make the dress, do her hair and had even stolen perfume from Old Lady Palmer. For days she'd swung her hips to the side, looked in the mirror and told herself "You're an experienced woman, you can do this."

As she stepped into the little red dress, with its sagging bust and crinoline petticoat, Cathy looked in the same mirror. "You're an experienced woman," she whispered. To solidify her confidence she focused on the positives she saw in the reflection. Red suited her and the bodice hugged her hips in a flattering way. Her long dark hair spilled over her shoulder, exactly like Butch liked it. Even if she didn't quite fill out the top part of the dress, she looked beautiful.

With a sigh, Cathy opened the bathroom door and scuttled down the hall in her bare feet. The guards changed shifts in a predictable pattern and she knew what blind corner could conceal her from the patrol. Once the corridor's guard passed she ran down the hallway leading towards Butch's room, slid up to the sensor, and pressed the access button.

The door hissed and Cathy stepped inside, noting Butch's mother snoring on the sofa. She rushed passed and faced his door on her tip toes, hoping up and down and trying not to panic. He would be on the other side, waiting for her and the idea of finally consummating their relationship made Cathy's palms sweat. She imagined after this he'd feel obligated to marry her, next would come some kids and the rest of her life in vault 101.

Holding her breath she pressed the chime on the door and instantly it opened. She could tell Butch had been waiting for her. He smiled, trying to pass off his nervousness as something else, but she'd known him his whole life. Nothing he could say or do would hide him from her.

"Man, you look great." Butch's eyes moved all over her body. "I bet you'll look even better with it off."

With those words Cathy felt unbearably hot. Butch seemed to sense this and put his arms around her. He was wearing his tunnel snake jacket but had managed to snag a button down shirt and a tie somewhere. His hair was immaculate, making her think about her brother saying she wanted to marry Butch because he had better hair than her.

"You seem scared," he whispered in her ear.

"Yeah," she responded.

"It's okay," He smiled. "I'm scared, too."

Everything didn't seem so important now. This was Butch, the same guy who pulled her pig tails and broke her toys. The same Butch who'd picked on Amata to make her laugh and had enough balls to get in fist fights with her twin. She'd kissed him, fondled him, been groped by him, and laid in his bed giggling and snuggling so late she'd had to run back to her own bed in time for work. Everything would be okay, because he had been her future for as long as she could remember. The only thing that would change is the fact they were finally going to really embrace it.

"My brother told me we should just get married so he can have his own room," Cathy snickered. She hoped that would keep things lighter.

Her words brought a smile to Butch's lips. "That guy. Remember the time he punched me?"

Cathy chuckled. "Yeah, you'd called that Amata chick a whore for making fun of my hair."

"You did look kinda stupid with your pony tail on the side." Butch ran a finger along her collarbone. "Not even the overseer's daughter gets to insult my girl."

"The look on your face when he punched you back," Cathy said. "I guess not many people stand up to the Tunnel Snakes."

"It's because we rule, baby." His joke trailed off as he rested his head on her shoulder.

She didn't notice until that moment, but they had begun shifting side to side as if they were dancing. "If you would just say the word," Cathy sang, "I'd fly home to you on the wings of a bird."

The song had been made up by an old patrolman who died when they were young. He didn't like how there were no lyrics to the songs played over the vault's PA and had sang them constantly. Consequently the kids followed him around memorizing everything he made up. After he died the older kids taught them to the younger kids, sometimes adding crude additions.

"So say you love me," Butch followed along. "and I'll be true. Cause baby, I never met someone quite so lovely, as you."

"I miss old Mr. Waters." Cathy squeezed his hand.

"Let's not think about it," Butch said. "Let's just think about right now. 'Cause I have something I want to ask you before we…you know."

"Yeah I know." Cathy felt awkward. The ramifications of a lifelong flirtation coming to fruition caused the turmoil in her to boil over. Every day of her life would be colored by this moment. At the same time she felt frightened of the future she'd always known. Did she want to get married, have kids, and live forever in vault 101 as Mrs. DeLoria? Would it make a difference if she changed her mind?

Suddenly she could imagine row upon row of greasy haired little boys, smarting off to her while she cooked eggs. Weird, gross little things, giving their knives 'funny' names and getting into trouble all the time. She imagined herself drinking like his mom. Getting sauced towards the end of her shift and continuing it until she laid half dressed in bed next to a man she no longer loved.

The accumulation of thoughts caused Cathy to feel overwhelmed. Unable to face Butch asking to be part tomorrow from then until eternity she did the only thing she could think of. She stopped dancing and told Butch, "Can you hold on? I have to pee."

"Uh, sure." Came the response. Butch looked as bewildered as the day she'd told him she liked it when he pulled her pig tails. Only now he carried a hint of disappointment and it stabbed at Cathy's heart. She knew he'd forgive her for being weak. She could tell he'd been pacing his room all night, but still she needed to catch her breath.

Out in the hall, Cathy had to duck away from three guards. The unusualness of this put her on edge and she jogged towards the bathroom, turning to make sure they weren't coming back. As she stepped towards her usual stall she ran into something soft yet hard.

A loud plop, and Amata hit the ground, followed by a scuttling metal noise as a small pistol slid from her pocket. Amata followed Cathy's eyes as she looked at the gun. Exchanging a panicked look the Overseer's daughter shoved the weapon back into her pocket. The small woman jumped to her feet, grabbed Cathy by the arm, and pulled her into a dark hallway. She demanded silence and two more guards ran by. Fear seized Cathy as the sound of gunfire echoed down the hallway.

"I'm so glad I found you," Amata said, "I worried you'd be…"

Amata's face grew red and she stuttered out the next part, "You know, with Butch."

"Shut up." Cathy responded, instantly defensive.

"No you shut up," Amata returned, "and listen to me for a change. It's your dad. We have to get to your brother."

"My dad?" Cathy could tell something serious had happened. The idea of her father being hurt or worse filled her brain and her heartbeat intensified the panic. "What happened to my dad?"

"He left," Amata almost shouted. "We have to get to your brother and get you two to safety. I overheard my dad talking and he's going to take it out on the both of you."

"Your dad never really like us," Cathy responded.

"Maybe it would have helped if you weren't fucking the leader of the Vault's gang."

"We not having sex yet," Cathy stuttered. This caused Amata to pause and look Cathy up and down. What exactly would have happened tonight seemed to register with Amata, and she grew uncomfortable. This made Cathy feel uncomfortable and she debated finding Butch when Amata grabbed her arm and pulled her away.

"I don't care what you do with Butch," Amata said. "I will wound your brother if you're hurt, so I have to help both of you. Now hurry up or we'll be too late."

Something in the air felt like danger and her mind began to grow paranoid. "How do I even know what you're saying is true? Why would my father just leave the vault? He's a jerk sometimes but he'd never ditch his kids."

With these words Amata turned and glared at Cathy. Their eyes locked Cathy turned away, embarrassed for reasons she couldn't fathom. She didn't argue when her old acquaintance began to drag her along, winding the to her doorway and bursting inside.

Caleb barely had time to wake up before Amata shoved her gun into his hand and began to explain everything. For the first time ever he seemed vulnerable. The blood drained from Caleb's face and he shook his head with every word, as if this grim acknowledgment would somehow make the situation more manageable.

Flying from the bed, Caleb reached into his locker, shoved a baseball bat into Cathy's arms, some BB's into the pocket of a black cardigan she owned, and tied that around her waist. He then kicked her pair of black boots out from under the bed.

"Put them on, Kitty," he ordered his sister.

She leaned over to tie the laces up to her mid shin. Then followed Amata and him out of the room. The trio paused in the infirmary, and loaded up with medical supplies in time for the sirens to kick in.

Warnings about a rad-roach infestation sounded over the intercom and residents were begged to stay put. Boots could be heard in the hallway and Amata yanked her two friends from the room and into the communal bathroom. Behind them the door opened to the rooms and men shouted at the empty beds.

A few feet further the warning turned out to be real. They watched a rad roach leap out of the darkness and bring down Officer Gomez. Caleb lifted up the butt of his gun, bringing it down on the head of the roach and saving the patrolman's life. Gomez stood and shook Caleb's hand, thanking him for his deeds and telling him where to go to get out.

The group followed Gomez's orders, numbly watching as more roaches appeared out of the darkness. Amata shrieked and jumped back from the bugs as Caleb and Cathy moved forward, bringing their weapons down on small armored heads. Pieces of the bug flew and spattered the wall, leaving behind a dead two-foot-long shell.

"Do the guts have to go everywhere," Amata protested.

A dirty look passed from Cathy to Caleb.

"And you think Butch is lame." She pushed past her brother and looked down the hall.

"Butch is a two bit thug," Amata whined.

"You'll make a shitty overseer someday," Cathy growled back.

Rounding the hallway Cathy's stomach sank as she noticed Butch standing in the passage, waving desperately at her. Caleb moved towards him and Butch began to shout something about a roach attacking his mom. Cathy took the opportunity to embrace her boyfriend as Caleb went inside and fired two rounds off. When he emerged Butch looked up at Caleb and back over to Cathy. He knew something was wrong.

"What's going on, Kitty?" Butch asked.

"My dad fled the vault." Cathy spoke more to her shoes than to him. "Overseer's mad about it. Amata came to warn us about the guards were coming to arrest us. So I guess this means I gotta go, too."

"You gotta go?"

Butch looked heartbroken and it made tears well up in her eyes. She could see that he noticed because he tried to look strong.

"I can't guarantee what will happen if she and Caleb are taken into custody," Amata announced from behind Cathy.

"I'm sorry," Cathy said as Butch looked away from her. She thought she could see him pushing back tears, but he had already been crying over possibly losing his mom. As he faced the wall Caleb gestured that they needed to go.

"Butch, your mom's alright," Caleb said. "We gotta go."

Amata nodded as she and Caleb both laid hands on Cathy's shoulders. Cathy shrugged them off, walking backwards as slowly as she could muster. She wanted Butch to be strong, to jump up and vow to protect her. She wanted him to come, too. Instead he stood there like a toddler, trying not to cry. In one last desperate attempt to get him to follow her, Cathy yelled out, "You could come, too."

When he said nothing she broke free of her brother's hold. Amata trailed behind her as she moved towards Butch, who finally looked up. Stopping short of her boyfriend she watched as a cruel smile broke his face.

"I always knew you'd get out of here, somehow. We're not meant to be. Can't you see? Now get lost. You were never in love with me, Cathy. I was just the boy you liked best. Go find someone nice outside."

"That's not true," Cathy protested, her brother and Amata pulling on her again. "You weren't just convenient."

"Then say you love me," Butch countered. His hands were in his pocket. He looked like a man and at the same time a complete stranger.

"Say you love me," He challenged her again.

"Come on, Cathy," Caleb's voice was soothing in her ear. "It doesn't matter if you do. We can't stay."

"Come with me," She begged Butch.

"I'm not going out into the wasteland with a bitch who's using me for my cock."

Butch's words stung and Cathy instantly hated him for it. "Fuck you," her best response.

With a resigned anger Butch croaked out, "No, fuck you. Go find some rotten bomb survivor dick to keep you warm at night. I got better things to do than die trying to keep you alive."

All of the rage and pain inside of Cathy melted between her eyes and leaked out the corners. She watched Butch walk slowly towards the door to his mother's room. She imagined him kicking the vodka bottles inside, like he always did when he was upset, and that sound drove her down the hall. He hated her. She was the most convenient woman in the vault, so he'd loved her. She could see it all now and she felt glad to leave. That she wanted him to come with her made her sick. He couldn't protect her; he couldn't even stand up to a couple of radroaches.

The visual of Butch turning away from her, resigning himself to a life without her, filled Cathy with a tingle that wouldn't recede. She ran at her brother's heels, watching as vault residents were slaughtered by guards and roaches. They found the body of the man who had given them their first pip-boys and a fixed up a BB gun for their tenth birthday. He lay dead on the floor with a message from their father. The guards had killed him. Her body vibrated every nerve and pore, as if her legs were asleep.

One of the vault residents accosted them, calming their father ruined everything. Caleb tried to talk the person down. They wouldn't listen. One more voice in a chorus of horrors, all the while the sirens wailed, and Cathy fought with a breakdown.

Every minute that passed resounded in a shaky vibration, amplifying when a guard jumped on top of Caleb. Raising her bat, swinging at him until he fell. She beat him until her bat was making a wet sucking sound. She'd been trained as a medical professional and a back up engineer-not a killer. The sight of the dead body boinged in her guts like a broken spring. No time to tell the time. Keep running.

Caleb's hands propelled his sister, his fingers digging into her arm so hard she knew she'd have a bruise. The pain felt real, so she didn't care. Otherwise she'd pause in place. Wait for the men who grew up guarding her to see that she hadn't changed. How could they hurt her? This had to be a dream.

Cathy didn't wake up until she found Caleb face to face with the overseer and two of his goons. The man who fathered Amata leaned over and screamed in his face. He told him their father had destroyed his world. Secrets flowed from the man's mouth. They were born outside the vault. Their father was a degenerate. Their mother never even set foot inside.

All the while Caleb begged the man to let them go. His good words falling on clogged ears. Power had deafened this man to everything but the greater good, so the few could perish with out thought. The Overseer would never understand that he needed to let them go, so Cathy did the only thing she could reason.

Stepping forward Cathy grabbed the Overseer's jacket lapel. She could see surprise filling the room and she knew she would have to be frightening. He couldn't hear ration he could only hear threats. The bigger picture had to be to horrible for him to ignore.

"Amata trusts us," Cathy began. "Let us go or I swear to God I'll hurt her."

"You sick little shit," the Overseer responded. "I believe you would, too."

"So do I," Caleb added. He sounded disappointed, but Cathy no longer cared.

"I mean it," she said. Yanking at his coat and shaking. "My brother might be too weak, but I'm a doctor. I'll slice her open in a way that won't ever heal. She'll be so fucked up she'll wish she were dead."

A disgusted noise originated from the Overseer's throat. He spat his next words. "The password is Amata. Go to the terminal in my office and exit through my special path. I'm going to warn you to never come back here again."

"We don't want to." Cathy released him and stepped back to join her brother. She avoided Caleb's gaze, because in his eyes she saw shock and moral outrage. Brutal men understood violence and he had to know this. They could talk about it later.

Brother and sister ran as fast as they could to the office where they had been dragged to so often as children. Every mistake, every flub, every minor infraction that would normally be ignored, brought Caleb and Catherine to this place. Now this room of resentment had transformed into a shrine. Safety lay somewhere inside.

Cathy ran to the computer bank, flipping through files until she found the secret exit command. She sneered as she typed in Amata's name. Why did that spineless bitch get her brother and an adoring father who wouldn't abandon her? The people fate made love you seemed fickle and cruel. She looked over at Caleb who seemed lost, only to awaken as the console in the middle of the room shifted and a subterranean stair revealed itself.

The couple made their way slowly down to a room they had never seen before. A long passage with metal walls and a warning sign at the other end. The sign hung on a door and when they opened it the other side revealed a space they had only seen once or twice on field trips. The Vault Door loomed off in the distance. A giant wheel with 101 emblazoned in white paint on the side.

"How do we open it?" Caleb asked.

"The control console," Amata said from behind them. "You pull down that bar and press the red button."

"I never thought I'd see it open," Cathy marveled.

A gun shot ricocheted in the hallway behind them. The group watched the hall nervously, then refocused on the task at hand.

"Do it," Amata said. "If you're going to leave you get to open it up."

Cathy jumped forward and pulled the handle on a switchboard and slapped her palm against the button. A giant metal arm swung down, engaged the door like a screwdriver, then pulled it backwards and to the side. A long, stone shoot lead to the world outside. Cathy turned just in time to see Amata run out onto the platform to kiss her brother. She had no idea if they were a couple but right now it seemed like they wanted to be. The two exchanged a couple of words, Amata refused to leave, the rest mumbled.

With a small wave, Caleb grabbed his sister's hand. She looked up from the entwined fingers, shocked at he'd made the gesture. He'd refused to hold her hand since they were small, pride keeping him from seeming to cute. The warmth of his skin made everything that just happened come into focus and Cathy felt her emotions start to well up. Two tears moved down her cheeks as footsteps sounded from the hall.

"Guards!" Amata yelled, and Caleb jerked Cathy by the hand as they dodged bullets and ran towards the outdoors.

A stone cave ended in a dilapidated wooden door that looked as if it would soon fall off its hinges. Continuing to avoid gunfire, Caleb burst through the wooden panels and Cathy felt a sneering pain as her vision grew white and unable to focus. Next the pain spread to their skin, as if this outside had only fire to punish them with.

"It hurts, it hurts," Caleb hissed over Cathy's curse words. She huddled over, stumbling forwards to ensure her safety, and rubbing at her eyes to stop the pain. After she'd advanced about five feet she heard the vault groan and begin to slide back into place.

Despite the pain, Cathy dropped her hands and looked towards the black cave mouth. Her eyes began to focus and she realized her last chance to go home would soon slip away.

Before she could run back in Caleb begged her, "Stop."

She turned and saw him squinting back at her through what had to be sunlight. His skin had an irritated pink quality, as if the rays of this star were burning him slightly. This had to be why her own skin hurt and instinctively she moved into a shadow.

"You can't go back," Caleb said. "There is nothing to go back to. Even if you could make it past the vault entrance in time, they'd shoot you dead."

Cathy hovered over the doorway to the cave, the wooden door swinging wildly in the wind. Not knowing why, she placed the door into its closed position and returned a wooden latch that had to have given way when they pressed against it.

Suddenly she thought of Butch and the tears grew thicker. Tonight she was supposed to make love to him the first time. Afterward he'd mumble a clumsy proposal and they'd get married in a few weeks. She looked down at the sequins on the red dress and they sparkled back with a ferocity she couldn't describe. The little pieces of light reflected off of the shining disks and cast on a rock. This lead to Cathy looking over the ruined landscape beyond. She saw so many things she'd been told about, all destroyed, and her mind changed the subject.

"I have to be sure." She told her brother. Stepping inside the cave she stumbled through the darkness, back to the vault entrance. The 101 greeted her in the sealed position. Four feet of steel stood between her and the only world she'd ever known. A sob escaped as she started to bang on the door.

She begged the metal surface to let her back in. She beat her fists against it, hoping some sound could travel through. Surely passion could convey a message to her people if she needed it.

"I'm ready," she pleaded. "I'll marry Butch and be a good citizen. I've seen what it looks like out here and I'm ready to come back."

Cold and hard, the door remained unmoved and Cathy grew more desperate. Picking up her bat she screamed and swung at the surface, hoping to disrupt it enough to make the guards check on them. This drew Caleb, who stood behind her, silent. He could process his own problems. She didn't care.

"If I can get back to Butch it will be okay," she explained. "My life has always been set out before me. I used to mind, but now I know it's a good thing."

"Kitty, don't," Caleb said.

"Just open the fucking door!" She huffed out of breath from attacking the steel façade.

"They can't hear you."

Caleb always had to be reasonable. At this moment she wished he'd show some humanity and cry or freak out. Instead he held out his hand and she felt obligated to put her fingers in-between his. The comfort outweighed the pain.

"Maybe we should wait a while and see if they change their minds." Cathy knew how stupid this sounded, as soon as she said it.

"We can wait a little bit," Caleb offered, "But let's not get to upset if they don't open the door."

"Agreed," Cathy said, slumping against her brother who had settled down onto the cool stone floor.

"Cathy, don't be crushed if nothing happens."

"I won't," she promised. "Don't be crushed if the outside is as bad as it looks."

"I can't face it yet either." Caleb almost giggled. He only did that when really felt stressed. "I can't believe it's daylight outside. Even the day and night cycle in the vault is artificial."

"I can't believe how weird it smells," Cathy marveled. "The air smells heavier, like fresh."

"Like fresh air." He reserved this face for the rare times Cathy said something particularly dumb. In response she punched him in the shoulder. Caleb pretended it hurt and she pretended to take pleasure that she'd wounded him.

A laugh played at her lips before the gravity of the situation pulled her back down. "Caleb, we don't know anything about life out there. How are we going to survive?"

"We'll rest here for a few hours," he answered, "Maybe sleep. Once we feel up to it we'll step out into the sun and face the future head on. Me with my twelve rounds of ammo and you with your baseball bat."

"We're fucked, basically."

"Don't act like that Kitty," he begged. "I need you to be strong for this part. Once we find food and shelter we can freak out for days."

"Deal." Cathy held up her pinky finger. This began a sacred swear the twin's father had taught them. When they locked their little fingers together Cathy felt guilty because she had no idea how much more she could handle. Still, Caleb locked fingers with her and smiled assuredly. She had faith he could make it, even if she proved too weak to go on.

* * *

4

Perched atop the "Scenic Overlook" sign sat a lean, black bird. The creature ceased crowing as Cathy approached, turning its head from side to side curiously. She stepped slowly, shielding her eyes from the morning sun as she moved. The bird had woken her by making a horrible squawking. Caleb seemed unimpressed by it, starting off over the hill while Cathy approached the creature.

Black wings reflected a greasy rainbow. She'd never imagined anything could be so dark yet beautiful. Another footstep closer and the raven ruffled a pair of long wings and flew off into the distance. Freer than she could ever be, it swooped into the roof of a dilapidated house, landing somewhere inside.

"A real bird."

Turning to face her brother, Cathy's smile faded fast. She held her breath, he looked horrified. She watched him for a few seconds before following his eyes. He seemed focused on the torn roof the bird had flown into. Minutes passed before he noticed her watching.

"Do you think someone lives there?" he asked.

"The house looks pretty torn up," she replied. "Maybe someone lives nearby though. Should we go see?"

Taking her hand again, Caleb motioned with his head for his sister to follow. She took small steps behind him, unused to walking on loose earth. The sand and dirt gave way under her feet as she touched them, forcing her to reconsider balance as she moved. Cathy's obsession with staying upright kept her from noticing how jagged and wrecked the house was until they were standing on a decayed strip of pavement out front.

Looking up at the bleached bones of someone's home, Cathy didn't know what to think or how to act. She squeezed Caleb's hand then let it go, moving towards a rusted mailbox. Having seen one in a holotape, Cathy opened the front of it and removed a plastic coated envelope. She peeled it open like she'd seen in the same movie, and found a delicate note inside. A refusal letter from Vault-Tec.

"Do you think they were inside the house when the bombs fell?"

Caleb didn't respond, instead he seemed intrigued by something in the rubble. Her body tingled again as he hopped over a fallen picket fence and began to climb the rubble filing the front door.

As he scurried inside Cathy called out, "Be careful." She envisioned the delicate wooden frame finally careening over and trapping her brother.

Instead of dying, Caleb emerged with a handful of hollow metal tubes, each one pinched at the tip.

"Bullet casings," Cathy said.

Caleb nodded.

Placing her hand over her brother's fingers, she hid the discarded ammo and looked closer. She could see the holes now. Bullets had pierced the wood of each old house, making them more unstable than age alone could accomplish.

Moving a few steps away from Caleb, she looked down the road towards a decaying gas station. Relics of a time when pre-war man needed chemicals to fuel his car, instead of atoms. When the bombs fell only antiques and motorcycles used petroleum. More things learned in the vault. More knowledge Cathy never thought she'd need.

"I hear music," Caleb announced. Cathy turned to watch him. A trumpeting sound boomed in the distance, coming closer.

Peering in the opposite direction she saw a small sphere, bobbing up and down as it advanced. A voice came over the music. A man. Older. Patriarchal and stern, like their father or the Overseer. The strange object made Cathy's body knot up. She was in this hell because of her father and now a potential enemy drew closer, bearing the fanfare of oppression.

Gripping her baseball bat Cathy waited for the strange machine to acknowledge or attack. Much to her perturbation it kept coming, showing no real awareness of her presence. Cathy lifted the bat; she'd defend herself before and could do it again. Only a weakling would let a robot run them off the road.

"What are you doing?" Caleb looked at his sister as if she were insane.

"I don't trust it," She responded.

"It hasn't hurt us."

As if to prove her brother's objection, the flying machine darted around the duo, playing its message for the world to hear.

"I'm President John Henry Eden." The machine declared as it faded off into the distance. "When I was a child, growing up in rural Kentucky-"

"It can't be a bad world if there is still a president in it," Caleb smiled. "Apparently there is still a Kentucky too."

"You're an idiot," Cathy responded.

Tightening the grip on her baseball bat, Cathy growled and swung at the mailbox. Needing to vent her frustration at their situation, Cathy felt victorious as the ancient rusted metal beneath it. A loud clang sounded from the box and traveled up her arms, hurting her shoulder.

Seemingly in response to Cathy's clang, an explosion sounded from the direction the robot had traveled. Cathy startled, her brain automatically connecting her action to the louder noise. Looking at Caleb calmed her worry a little, but he still gripped the .9mm pistol in his hand as if something were wrong.

"What wa…"

Caleb shushed her question.

Grabbing her arm again, he drug her through the rubble. They shoved themselves through the collapsed doorway, out a broken window, through another door, and then wedged themselves next to collapsed chimney stack.

"People," Caleb whispered.

"Shouldn't we see who they are?" Cathy responded.

"There's no reason to blow up the little robot."

She could barely hear Caleb's voice. The fear he exhibited spread to her and the tingling nerves returned. Her hand felt so strange it seemed numb, so she loosened her grip on the bat. As much as she wanted to she couldn't accept that the robot's demise proved the people were bad.

"The stupid thing is annoying," Cathy said at last. "Dad's somewhere out in this mess, Caleb. We should find him and make him tell us what to do."

"Would you shut up?"

Glares were exchanged between the siblings. Cathy raised her hand to smack her brother on the shoulder when she saw the people, between the skeletons of the houses. They sauntered past the gas station and moved along the open road. They were wearing a weird mixture of leather and recycled car treads. Each one demonstrated a unique variation of filthy. Everyone in the group held a weapon; some were automatic guns.

Using the bookshelf across from the chimney for cover, the twins poked their heads over just enough to watch the procession. A slick, rusty, grime clung to the people's hands and sleeves. Dried blood. They'd killed something recently and seemed to have enough energy to do it again if needed. While she'd ignored her brother's protest concerning the robot, she now felt certain this group had no good intentions where others were concerned.

To Cathy's horror one of the strangers changed direction and walked towards the destroyed houses. Cathy slumped down on the ground, while Caleb continued to stealthily look over. Her heart lept in her chest. These people had guns, real guns, not a dinky pistol and a baseball bat. If they found her brother and her hiding in the rubble, anything could happen. Probably they'd die as a result of discovery and their father would never suffer the knowledge his children died because of his actions.

"What are they doing?" She whispered.

"Pulling some wood off a fence."

"No shit?" Cathy leaned back up. One of the ruffians seemed to be dislodging a wooden plank. The strangeness of it made her nuzzle next to her brother for comfort.

One of the women in the group shouted, "What the fuck are you doing?"

The answer came back, "We got some ant. We'll need a fire."

This seemed to please the woman, who placed her rifle between her arms and leaned her head on it. She spit on the ground and resumed her travels. Once the man had an armful of fence slat's he followed after the group. Soon they faded into the distance as the twins watched. Several minutes passed before either felt confident enough to leave their hiding spot.

Standing under the sun's beating rays, both looked up and down the remains of the road. Satisfied none of the thugs remained, Cathy and Caleb began to walk towards the gas station and away from the group.

The station grew closer and a long sheet of metal with something painted on it came into view. The twins stopped in front of it and read the words "Megaton." Caleb seemed to consider this for a good measure of time. An arrow pained on the sign directed them further into the desert looking wastes. Meanwhile Cathy spotted something of interest next to a ruined car.

"Nuka Cola?" She questioned, as she moved towards the bright red vending machine.

Reaching forward she grasped the handle and pulled open the door. A mildew infused rush of air spread across her face. Two exposed bottles of brown liquid lay baking in the sun. Cathy snatched them up, offering one to Caleb as she approached. She didn't register how thirsty she'd been until she saw the bottles.

"Soda is so bad for you, Kitty," Caleb scolded.

"I don't see you producing anything worth drinking," Cathy countered. "Don't call me that, by the way. "

"I've called you that since we were kids," he responded.

"I never liked it," she said. "I want to be myself out here, not your bratty sister."

"Dad always liked it."

"Dad," She repeated. Suddenly everything threatened to back up and come gushing out of her throat. Right now she should be bouncing around, telling her father and brother how she and Butch were going to get married. Instead she stood fatherless, in the middle of a rotten wasteland, with her brother as her only companion.

"Are you okay?" Caleb asked, snapping her back into reality.

She hated herself for the moment of weakness. "There is no room for a pity party right now. I guess I thought things would be different than they are right now. Shit. We're not going home, are we?"

"Probably not," Caleb frowned. "Even if they opened the door back up, I'm not sure it would be the same."

Cathy drew her foot through the dirt, the sand kicking up on the wind and blowing it all around her. "Dad fucked it up."

"Stop saying that," Caleb admonished.

She could tell she was hurting him but didn't care. The bitterness she could hold on to, mold into a bitterness that would keep memories of Butch and her old life from ruining her.

"You would defend him," she said. "You're his favorite; of course it's easy for you to take his side."

"I'm not his favorite." Caleb seemed really hurt now. "I didn't even become a doctor. You were the studious one, always the best in class-despite your bad taste in boyfriends. You helped him with all his projects and stayed up late at night working on them with him."

"Yeah," She said. She couldn't look at her brother right now. "But you were his son."

"_Am_ his son," Caleb shouted. She'd pissed him off now. Good, she needed to feel her blood rise.

"He's alive, Cathy. If you say he's not I'll leave you here in the dirt to think about what a horrible daughter you're being."

"You said it yourself," She growled back. "I'm his little tool. If he's dead or not it doesn't make a difference. He stranded us out here because he didn't have enough damn sense to think about the results of his actions. What are we supposed to do without him? We're stuck out here in the middle of fuck nowhere, with no friends, no guns, no food, and no water."

"How should I know?" Caleb countered. His eyes narrowed, the dark brown of his eyes seeming like black jewels.

Something moved behind Caleb as he glared at her. No, it scurried. Something scurried behind him. Cathy raised her head to look at it as her brother began to speak. Ignoring him, she stepped to the side to look at the thing moving behind him.

"Is that an ant?" Cathy finally managed.

Caleb stopped talking in time to turn around.

"That's a big ant," he stuttered.

"Run," Cathy barked. Not that Caleb needed the order.

Still gripping the drinks she'd found, Cathy took off running. Her brother managed to sprint a few feet ahead of her, leaving her between him and the ant. She could hear the monster now, its exoskeleton creaking and its mandibles stretching as it prepared to attack. Ants were supposed to be small. She'd seen them in movies, tiny creatures that bite and prove a nuisance. This creature wasn't tiny and if it bit her it would prove to be far more than a nuisance.

"Cathy!" her brother yelled. He'd slowed down a little to make sure she could hear him. "There is a city. Run towards the city."

"Whatever you say," She yelled back.

She'd never run this fast or long in her life. None of the corridors in the vault were long enough and running could get you in trouble. Her legs couldn't keep up this speed much longer.

As she rounded the hill top she skidded down the dirt. A strange, two legged robot stood near the entrance to a humongous gate. Oddly, the machine wore a cowboy hat.

As Cathy joined her brother at the bottom of the dirt hill, a scrawny man jumped up from behind a rock and ran towards the metal fence lining the city. The twins followed him. Their hands landing against the metal gate in unison, as they turned to confront the creature chasing them.

The ant had come half way between the hilly area and them, when the robot announced, "Halt," and fired upon the ant.

A long red laser emerged from the robot's arm and sliced into the head of the ant. The laser left a scorch hole, oozing smoke, the only sign denoting cause of death.

"Welcome to Megaton," The robot announced afterward.

With those words the gate began to lift up. Cathy and Caleb turned to see a tall man with dark skin standing on the other side. Before anything could be said he slipped past them and over towards the ant carcass. A knife emerged from a hip holster and he pulled a bloody section from the ant's back.

The man in the duster and hat turned and took notice of the two strangers for the first time. He squinted across the distance as a smirk lit up the right side of his mouth. He took a few steps closer, driving Cathy behind her brother for protection. She felt all too aware of the bright red dress she wore.

"Vault 101," he said. "Been seeing those suits a lot recently, not that I've seen them a lot before. I'm guessing the pretty lady in the red dress is from there too."

"Yes," Caleb said. He sounded braver than Cathy could manage. "My name is Caleb Irving and this is my twin sister Cathy."

"Before?" Cathy managed, not caring if it was rude. "You said you'd seen people in vault suits before?"

"Been awhile," The man seemed amused by this. "Last one was a fellow named James. Now that I think on it-Seems James came by here about a day ago. Talked to Collin Moriarty up in his bar."

"He's our dad," Cathy blurted. She felt ashamed at her lack of decorum. "We'd like to find him."

"I bet you would," The man responded. "Too bad I can't help you."

"But Colin can?" Caleb seemed hopeful.

"Reckon, if he feels' like it," the man responded. "You're welcome inside, supposing you can behave yourselves. If you can't I'll fuckin' end yah. See, name's Lucas Simms. I'm the Mayor and Sheriff of Megaton."

* * *

5

"This place is a shit hole." Cathy made this announcement from the rails of Craterside Supply. Her hands gripped the rusted metal rail so tightly the knuckles turned a marbled white. Her brother stood behind her, under the business's large rickety. He had just finished talking with Lucas Simms and she couldn't hold herself back any longer.

Before her sat a sea of rusted metal and decaying shacks. Walls and buildings seemed to be made of scraped aviation equipment. Large holes in the walls did little to conceal tenants going about their daily lives. A few people patched larger holes with more scrap metal or cloth, but no one could afford to cover all of the weak spots. Most alarming were the holes in the roofs. Rain must be rare, explaining the dry ground and lack of vegetation outside.

The citizens walked around, most bordering on skeletal. Children played in the dirt at the bottom of the crater, in the shadow of a diner. Smelling the kitchens, a ravenous hunger formed in Cathy's gut and she imagined feeling full would be seen as a luxury in Megaton.

Standing on the edge of the platform the most upsetting thing about Megaton peaked over the edge of a lower building. Obscured except for fins, the unexploded nuclear bomb caused Cathy's face to twitch hard. The city had been built in a crater caused by the falling bomb and remained in constant danger of the warhead going off.

"It hasn't gone off in two hundred years." Caleb placed his hand on Cathy's shoulder and she wondered if he could sense her thoughts. Twins were supposed to be like that. He never seemed to know when she felt happy but despair he sometimes picked up on.

"What if it explodes today?" Cathy responded. "It seems fitting. We get kicked out of our homes in the middle of the night, sleep in a cave, avoid dangerous thugs with guns, and die in the shittiest town ever."

"Cathy, you really need an attitude adjustment," He scolded. "Simms says if we can disarm the bomb, we'll get a big reward. Do you think you could do it?"

"Climb into a nuclear device, full of radiation and God knows what, and disable a bunch of circuitry I've never seen before. Sure. While I'm at it I'll shit a golden egg for you."

"You're smart," Caleb prodded. "I bet you know more than you think. How complicated could a nuclear bomb be?"

"How complicated could a nuclear bomb be." She repeated in a childish voice. "It's a fucking nuclear bomb, not a shorted out Robco terminal. The thing might need a good kick and the uranium will slap together. That means Death. Fast, fiery, instant, death. No one would survive. We'd all be black char marks scattered across dirt."

"Maybe I can do it," Caleb sighed. "Do you still have the wiring dioramas on your Pip-Boy for your Post-G.O.A.T. training?"

"Yeah I think I do," Cathy said. Her arms folded over the metal rail and she risked leaning on it to look out into the town. "You were always pretty good with explosives, but I'm worried you'll need some knowledge beyond what I have my Pip-Boy."

"Just give it to me and let me fiddle with it," Caleb responded. "I'll make sure to be careful. I promise I won't touch anything I'm not sure about."

Caleb rested his hand on the rail Cathy leaned on. She turned to look at her brother's hand, noting the smooth yet muscular skin. He still looked like a boy, lean and long, but the square bulk of adult males had begun to settle in. Compared to weather-worn Lucas Simms, he looked like an infant. She realized Caleb's hands were shaking as he lifted them off of the rail and he looked down towards the bomb, licking his lips. Cathy felt like she could read his mind.

"I'm hungry," She protested.

Caleb looked at her with a mixture of relief and concern. Of course he'd march off towards the bomb with his hands shaking from hunger and nerves. She needed to push hard.

"I can't eat while you fiddle with that thing. I'll be too scared of you killing us all. Simms said Moriarty's saloon was at the top of the hill. Let's get a bite to eat and ask about Dad. After that we can save the town."

"You're really hungry, huh?" he asked. "I guess I can put off working on the bomb till after we eat."

Laughing at how stupid her brother could be, Cathy put her arm on his shoulder and stepped up the ramp towards the saloon. Their feet echoed hollowly down into the structures below, occasionally the sound morphed into a crunching noise, making her fear she'd fall through. Still, Caleb needed food and a distraction from playing solo bomb-squad and she wouldn't fail him.

As they reached the top, a simple metal shack appeared. Over the door the words, 'Moriarty's Saloon' had been painted with a white chalky substance. Caleb looked at his sister grimly before entering. She knew he wanted the door to swing open and their father to emerge.

On the inside, the bar looked dirty and rusted, like the rest of Megaton. Looking over the people in the bar Cathy didn't see anyone who looked like their dad and felt angry at her disappointment. Did she really believe anything would be this easy?

Glasses clanked and a bald head bobbed just below the bar. Slowly, the pair pulled on to a pair of stools, Cathy minding her red dress didn't hike up and show her vault issued panties. A whistle came from behind the bar and a middle aged man with grey hair stepped out. Wiping his hands on a rag, the man placed his meaty fingers on Cathy's shoulder, squeezing it harder than she would like.

A foul breath spread across Cathy's face as the man leaned in to ask "You looking for work, sweetheart?"

Embarrassment caused Cathy's mind to go blank. Worse yet, the man turned her on the stool to get a good look at her, before his face turned white. He shifted and looked at her brother, his complexion became duller and he stepped back in shock.

A chuckle sounded from the man's throat, and with a strange Irish accent he spoke. "I hadn't seen the two of you since you were wee 'babes. Now it seems you've grown up. I guess James leaving got the two of you kicked out of the vault."

"We've never left the vault before in our lives," Cathy growled.

Livid, she fought the urge to punch the lights out of this rude stranger. The vitriol she felt made no sense, but she didn't care. First he asks her if she's a hooker and now he thinks he knows her. No one should be so bold.

It took the man several seconds to respond. "No, it's unmistakable. You're James's kids. Caleb and Catherine Irving, if I remember correctly. Hate to break it to you two, but you were born out here."

"That's impossible," Caleb responded. Cathy felt relieved at his shock.

"We grew up in the vault. Our father grew up in the vault. We've never been outside before. I don't know how you knew our names but I'm guessing Simms is right about our father coming up here."

"He came up here alright," The man responded. "Hadn't seen him in ages. Guessed he'd been successful getting into 101 with you two brats. See I was right."

"Colin." A worn woman, who'd been chatting up a man on the other side of the bar, raised her voice. "Quit fucking with these two and break open that case of beer. Gob's almost out."

"Gob can do it himself," Collin Moriarty responded. "Can't you Gob?"

Redirecting their gaze to the owner of the bald head, Cathy felt a dull panic at the face confronting her. The lack of a nose registered first and then the necrotic meat lining his face. Worst of all had to be the slight smell of rot. If he hadn't moved she'd have sworn him dead and left to the ravages of exposure for some time.

"Sure thing boss." A gravelly voice escaped from a gap toothed mouth. The sound so shocked Cathy, she fell backwards out of her chair and quickly scrambled behind Moriarty for protection.

"It's a zombie," Caleb said. Braver than his sister, he'd remained seated.

The creature Moriarty called Gob sneered at these words, arching his rotten flesh up around the hole that served as his nose. The sneer made him look dangerous, like he might bite. Cathy Squeezed the door handle behind her, debating running from the bar if the monster came closer.

"It's rude to call us Zombies," Gob responded. "I'll take it as a mistake made by a couple of kids fresh from a vault and ignore your cruel words. Ghoul's what we like to be called. Except for some of our feral brethren, we're safe and civilized."

"So you're not going to eat our brains?" Cathy asked. This made Moriarty laugh.

Much to her upset, the Ghoul didn't share in Moriarty's sense of humor. The foul smelling man leaned over, a skinless finger shaking in her direction. "Hateful words are shameful from such a pretty mouth."

Before Cathy could respond, Caleb lifted his hand and extended it to the ghoul. The decaying man winced at the motion, and then looked over Caleb's grinning face suspiciously, placing his fingers against Caleb's palm. Like a gentleman he shook the Ghoul's hand, introducing himself.

"Name's Caleb Irving. This is my sister Cathy. I'm afraid we've never seen anyone like you before and Cathy always got really scared when we'd watch spooky movies at night. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive us. We came here to get information and see about something to eat."

"You're not going to hit me or talk down to me." Gob seemed amazed.

"Nah," Caleb chuckled. "I don't see the point. You're a bloke just like the rest of us, can't help it you have a skin condition."

Accepting Caleb's joke, Gob smirked and began wiping down the bar. "You're okay kid. See me when you need anything, I'll give you a fair price."

"You'll give him the price you give everyone else," Moriarty announced.

Abandoning Cathy, the silver haired bar owner stepped over to Caleb, sizing the young man up. Cathy held her breath, afraid to speak least she say anything else dumb.

If Caleb minded the scrutiny, he didn't show it. Instead he casually leaned against the counter, a vulpine smile crafted onto his lips, a mirror of Moriarty's own. The owner stroked his chin for a moment, turning to face both of the twins.

"Seems like you kids are in a bit of a pickle. I'm the only person your father spoke to in town and that means I'm the only one who knows where he's going. I think for one hundred caps I could be persuaded to let loose my information."

"Caps," Caleb repeated.

Turning to look at Cathy for help his sister shrugged, she had no idea what caps were. She felt angry at the attempt to extort money, but the value of and shape of it eluded her. As they continued to exchange bewildered expressions, Moriarty groaned and smacked the center of his head.

"Oh yes. I forget people from the vault have no knowledge of how the real world works. Bottle caps-Nuka Cola bottle caps, to be specific. One Cap won't buy you much, but three or four will get you a dinner for one. I find my information is worth one hundred and fifty."

"You said one hundred just a few seconds ago," Cathy fumed.

Stepping beside her brother she stared defiantly up at Moriarty, who couldn't be less impressed.

"Yes but I just had to educate you about the ways of the world." As he spoke he took a wide step towards Cathy. A thick finger rested on her chest, poking into her skin audible a thud. "If you need any more education, Missy, perhaps we should continue this conversation in private."

"Don't touch my sister." Caleb sounded threatening as he moved Moriarty's finger away from Cathy's chest.

This made Moriarty laugh again, as he leaned against the counter with a cocky air. "So I just added the plucky jack-ass tax. Fraid the amount just climbed to two hundred. I'd deflate my chest, boy-o, before it jumps up significantly."

"Jesus Christ that's a fortune," The red headed woman from earlier announced. "There is no way those kids have that much money. Cut 'em a break, Colin."

"Perhaps you'd like me to add their money to what you owe me, Nova."

The woman turned her head away in answer.

"Didn't think so. Why don't you mind your own business, before I decide I have no more use for a dried up old whore."

As much as the coarse language surprised Cathy the look on the woman's face shook her more. Nova's skin held a beautiful peach hue despite the grime. Her shock red hair made her look like a doll and seeing her eyes grow hollow and weary made Cathy want to break a bottle over Moriarty's head. If they hadn't met Simms already, and heard his warnings about misbehavior, Cathy might have gone ahead and thrown a punch.

Pleased with himself, Moriarty sauntered behind the bar. "You two might be able to come up with the money doing odd jobs around town. Come to me if you need some work, I can give you something I'm sure. Until then, I'd be on my best behavior. Simms acts bossy but we know who runs this town."

Caleb stood up in response to his words and Cathy put her hand on his shoulder to calm him. He turned and when they locked eyes she gave him a weary look, shaking her head. Moriarty seemed to notice this, chuckling victoriously at Caleb's defeat.

Lifting a crate of bottles, Moriarty moved the box over to a corner near the cash register and began to load them into the shelf underneath. Almost as an afterthought he looked up at Cathy and winked. "If you want to put tha red dress to work, I could probably find you a paying customer."

Before her brother did something stupid Cathy placed her hand on top of his balled fist, and pulled the coke bottle from his vault suit pocket. Setting both bottles on the counter she looked up at Gob with her cool brown eyes and asked, "You got something to get these caps off with? I need something to eat."

Staring at the soda bottle with a perplexed look, Gob sighed before regaining his composure. Moriarty stood then, shoving Gob to the side and walked towards the back humming. Once the door to the back room swung shut Gob leaned over and whispered to the two twins.

"Bottles are worth more intact. I'll buy them for you for six each. We're low, so a special onetime price, anymore and Mr. Moriarty will have my head."

"Deal," Cathy said. "How much for something to eat and a big glass of water?"

"Water's cheap in town," Gob said, "anywhere else it's going to cost you a fortune. Food's always expensive. I can give you some noodles and a glass of water, each, for eleven caps."

"That leaves us with one cap left over," Cathy frowned. "How do we get more?"

"Got anything worth trading?"

Unsure what she'd managed to scavenge from the vault, Cathy felt her pockets. She reached in and pulled out a pack of BB's and a few stimpacks. Gob looked over the bounty, pushing them towards their owner.

"Moira at Craterside will give you a better price for the ammo. Doc Church, across from The Brass Lantern, will pay top dollar for the stimpacks. I'd hold on to them though, you might need them."

Nodding as Gob spoke, Cathy turned to look at her brother, who stood still, with his hands shaking. She knew the urge to defend her honor had to be eating away at Caleb, but she need him to push past this. The price couldn't go up anymore.

"Slap the food on the table," Cathy told Gob. "My brother has a bomb to work on."

"Cathy, this isn't a good time," Caleb countered.

"It's as good a time as any, Dudley Do-Right," she quipped.

Meanwhile Gob grabbed the two Nuka Colas from the counter and stashed them on the shelves underneath. From below he produced two blue packages of noodles and set them on the bar. Next he placed two reused bottles of water on the counter and retrieved a single cap from the register.

Cathy shoved a box of noodles and the water towards her brother, as she tucked the cap into his pocket. "For good luck."

"You're the one who made the deal. You might need the BB's because you don't have a gun. I just-"

To shut him up, Cathy pushed him towards the door. "I still have my bat, don't worry about me. I'm not letting that guy anywhere near me. I'll wait up here till you're finished. I have my own noodles to eat, now go."

Caleb yielded and she could tell she'd wounded his ego. He stood to straight now and said nothing as he began to march down the ramps towards the bomb. Caleb had never been very good at holding back when people were being bad, so she felt a little proud of his walking away. Cathy sighed once he passed of sight and moved back to her stool.

Sitting back down, Cathy broke open the package of noodles and started eating the flavorless, crispy insides. She took a big chunk out of the hard brick only to discover a silver packet stuck to the side of the tan noodles. Removing the foil from the roof of her mouth she turned it over in her fingers, reading the words "real chicken flavoring."

Curious, she tore open the top and smelled the insides. A hint of black pepper and other dulled seasonings reached her. Instinctively she poured the package into her bottle of water and watched as it settled to the bottom.

Gob snorted at this and plunked a clean cap on it. Cathy took it and shook the concoction. The broth still held enough flavor to remind her of canned chicken and she drank it down with gusto, stopping occasionally to take a bit out of her noodles. Thankfully, the water made them easier to chew.

Once she'd finished with her food, Cathy set the glass on the battered counter and looked around the room. Dingy walls contained people drinking and milling about. A muscular man, who smelled slightly worse than the rest of the patrons, talked quaintly to Nova-the red headed woman. Cathy watched the prostitute laugh insincerely at the man's joke and smile as he closed his big fingers over hers. The two journeyed up towards the rooms on the second floor, as someone placed a short glass on the bar next to her bottle.

She looked up at the owner, who seemed to take no notice of her. "Another whiskey my dear, cadaverous, bartender."

"Sure thing, Burke," Gob responded. Amber liquid poured from a crude glass bottle and when it reached half way up the glass Gob stopped and smiled. "No water for Mr. Burke."

"No water, indeed." Burke smiled.

Of all the smiles Cathy had ever witnessed, this one felt the most challenging. Over her stood a tall, handsome man, with silver streaks in his dark black hair. His jacket looked like an expensive old-world make. His nose was perky but round. His mouth thin but serious. His eyes were deep set and Cathy found her face agonizing over the crowfeet and frown lines. He wasn't young, but more handsome than Butch or anyone else in the vault.

When he looked at her, she felt like she would melt. When his smile spread to show his teeth she thought she would catch fire.

"Well, who do we have here?"

Cathy smiled back, fighting a giggle, least she seem childish. Burke reached out a hand in response and Cathy stood. Her skirt flourished as she stepped off the bar stool and Burke directed her to the side, making the fabric shift again while the sequins twinkled.

"That lovely dress alone tells me you're not from Megaton."

The reminder of her situation put an instant damper on Cathy. She pulled her free arm across her chest and scratched the top of her arm. "My brother and I just left Vault 101."

"I think I overheard part of that conversation," Burke said. "Cathy was it?"

"Mr. Burke was it?"

He seemed impressed.

"That's what the locals know me as." His response seemed off to her, but she ignored it.

"I think I'll just call you Burke."

"That suits me as well." He looked over his shoulder, into the dark side room and glanced back at Cathy with amusement playing across his face. "If you would indulge me, Miss Irving, I have been looking for a stranger to town who might be interested in earning some money. If you'd step in the back I'd love to talk with you."

Seeing her hand encased in his, Cathy looked back up at Burke and felt her face grown warm. She thought about going with him, yielding to his kisses, to his touch, and releasing herself to him as she never could with Butch. She imagined this older man guiding her, helping her along, and then at the end refusing his money.

Maybe it would make her feel better, to push Butch out and replace him with something real, if only for a few minutes. She considered giving up her father, her brother and herself, but then Burke burst the cloud her thoughts were living in.

"I promise it's nothing lurid."

His voice sounded breathy, as if he were considering the same thing and had pushed it aside out of good nature. Scoundrels lept at weakness. Maybe he's good. She searched his face for a hint of something solid but found only a dispassionate smirk. Should she go join her brother down in the bottom of the pit, surrounded by dirt, or stay here and listen to this man's proposition? The answer came easy.

"Okay," Cathy agreed, placing her boot foot in front of the other. "Show me the way."


	3. Chapters 06-08

6

The leather on the bench had been worn through. Cathy ran her fingers along it, barely able to look up at Burke. The older man sipped his whiskey, watching the bar beyond the door. He felt mysterious and Cathy watched his body language to try to glean his mood, like the way she'd watch Caleb. Whatever made up Burke proved antithetical to her brother, forging an allure that pulled her near.

He sat with his legs crossed, his foot swaying left and right. He grinned at Cathy, her reflection caught on the edge of his sunglasses, long and distorted. She didn't realize how silly she looked wearing a bright color in such a dingy world. At peace with himself, Burke reached across to Cathy, causing her to jostle the little table next to them. The drink he'd bought her spilled, an amber pool of failure collecting on the table.

"Relax," Burke said. "I've been waiting for someone like you. I wouldn't dream of hurting you now."

Cathy believed him.

"Megaton has a problem," He began. "The city started with the best of intentions but only the insane would build a town around an active bomb. I'm afraid this place started with a flawed premise and now it's time for Megaton to experience its inevitable end."

Trying to be a brave soul, Cathy grabbed the dry whiskey Burke bought her and gulped. Tasted like smoke and burned like fire. The vodka her and Butch stole from his mother didn't taste as strong and took longer to make you feel funny. Fittingly, she found herself coughing when she came up for air, her cheeks red.

Burke's hand settled hard against her back and Cathy leaned forward with his momentum. She took another drink, her throat restricting but managing to avoid the coughing this time. Burke settled back now, watching her, his face grim and studious. He expected a response and Cathy searched her brain for anything.

"You want someone to blow up the town."

"I want someone to rid humanity of this blight," Burke answered. "Megaton gives hope to people who have none. This is criminal, if only because these people's lives are so full of suffering-hope only increases their misery."

He spoke like a tent-preacher on Sunday. A low rumble came from his insides. No mistaking it, he told "the truth," and if you disagreed you were a fool. For a young woman, an older man, wise in the ways of fools, this evangelization wove a web, hard to break.

"Suppose you get a house here, a very hard thing to purchase, what's next? The structures are so full of holes the winter wind kills the children and elderly the same as sleeping under an open sky. It's cruel to let these people think they've achieved something by joining the community."

Believing him felt so easy but at the same time she knew his desires; death for everyone inside the walls. Not an easy sell. "So we should blow them up."

Straightening his tie, Burke leaned over with a kind smile. Demeanor and tone told her a story about how young and naïve her words were. "I represent an interested party who wants this place erased from the horizon. You have no ties here, no connections and ultimately you're doing them a favor."

Peering at herself in the whiskey, Cathy pretended to think about it. Closing her eyes she could see the blast from the bomb. The warm, radioactive air blew past her arms and shoulders, stirring her hair as it moved. She imagined the rubble, the molten core, and a rockslide sealing the residents of Vault 101 inside forever. She imagined Butches great-grandchildren finally pulling open the vault only to find they were trapped. Death.

To tell the truth she saw death everywhere but more pronounced on the tip of Burke's lips. He licked his lips and she followed a knobby red tongue across withered lips. Savoring, the word beat into her heart as he drank. This is a man who savors things and right now he is savoring her company.

With a swimming head, Cathy leaned in to say something but forgot what. She needed something to do with her hands and in an act of unprecedented boldness, they settled onto Burke's pant leg. They seemed so pale and he felt hot. His face changed as he felt her touch. Obviously, Burke hadn't expected her to touch him. Probably he anticipated her storming out, telling Simms, or politely agreeing but not this.

Swaying to her side so she sat closer to him, Cathy's brain screamed at her to stop, but she couldn't. After tonight she needed comfort. Giving up her whole life and meeting a handsome mass-murderer seemed too overwhelming. She needed something human and the whiskey had subdued her inhibitions just enough.

"There is something about you I like."

Burke said nothing. He scrutinized her, peering over the rim of his glasses. Cathy ignored it; she pushed back his hesitancy, assuming curiosity kept him from rejecting her.

"What you want isn't easy."

The best she could think of felt lame but Burke seemed intrigued. Placing his hand over hers he looked her with a flat, evenness that would have scared her if she were sober.

"The mechanism in my pocket would make it easy."

Cathy felt out of her league but kept going. He was handsome and looked strong. Smart, too. She enjoyed sitting here next to him because it drowned out everything else. She swallowed hard and opened her mouth to say, "I bet it would."

Burke reached into his pocket, causing something to twitch beneath the cloth. Holding her breath Cathy bit her lip and looked away but quickly returned to see what would happen. He made a low, dangerous chuckle and slowly pulled out a metal device. Pressing it into her free hand, Cathy looked down at a triggering device, probably for the bomb.

"You're serious."

His finger tapped the bottom of her chin, drawing Cathy's eyes to his again. "I usually am. The job pays well, kid; you would do good siding with me. Don't hedge your bets here, Megaton will eat a nice Vault girl up."

"I have a proposition for you," Cathy countered. "Why don't you put this back in your pocket and let us both think about what our actions would mean. Megaton's my home for now and you wouldn't want to blow up my home, would you?"

Burke's eyes grew larger as he looked into Cathy's. Whatever he was seeing eluded her. She pulled her hand away and picked at a hang nail. Her discomfort had to be evident. Instead of withdrawal he leaned in and squeezed her thigh under the silky dress material. The sensation made Cathy moan softly but he ignored it. "Is that what you really want?"

Nerves kept Cathy from responding at first. The right thing seemed wrong and lead to increasing confusion. She could leave but right now he seemed more appealing than her alternatives.

Finally she whispered, "Yes. Please spare Megaton."

Squeezing her thigh tighter Burke smiled. He stood from the chair, took the device from her hand, and shoved it back in his pocket. He helped Cathy glide up from her chair, chuckling as the room sparkled with rainbows from the sequins. Thousands of them, making little patches of color on the both of them. Burke leaned over and touched a rainbow falling on her wrist, then enveloped the tips of her fingers, and kissed the back of her hand.

A shiver ripped down Cathy's spine, settling in her stomach and making her body feel warm.

"Dazzling," Burke said, his nose brushing the edge of her hair.

Inhaling deeply, for a moment Cathy wondered if he could inhale her essence, stealing the most important part. Instead, Burke opened the palm of his hand and let hers go.

Attentively Cathy placed her palm against his face and he tugged her towards the door, the rooms growing darker for the absence of her brilliance. Out in the sun bleached world he twisted and turned as Cathy followed, their feet echoing off of metal grating. He walked so fast she could barely keep up and she nearly tripped over a jagged hole in the floor.

At the bottom a crowd had gathered in front of the bomb. She saw Caleb pull a piece of circuitry out of the weapon, and detach cords. A religious leader, from a local cult, shouted angrily at Caleb. The zealot decried his actions as heresy and invited his followers to pray for the destruction of the unbeliever. Dirt covered worshipers leaned down in the radioactive waters, drinking it and singing to their God to smite her sibling.

She watched all of this silently, Burke standing behind her like a shadow. Calling for the death of the man who would save them. These cultists were ingrates, failing to see nothing good would come of the towns destruction. One man reached to pull Caleb off the bomb and Simms appeared behind him, pulling him back with a word of warning.

Watching the cursing cultist follow the Sheriff-Mayor in handcuffs made Cathy sneer and turn to the man behind her. "I can understand why you'd want to destroy them. Fools, all of them."

A grin spread across Burke's lips. "It's not too late."

Behind them Caleb shouted, "It's the core. Take it out and bury it in the desert. Bury it deep. It can't hurt anyone now."

"I'm afraid it is," she responded.

A long step placed Burke in front of Cathy. She looked up at him, feeling vulnerable here in the sun, surrounded by strangers. This time he ran a finger down the edge of her hair, his gesture felt possessive and wonderful. The finger curled down the long strand, brushing gently alongside her breast and stopping at the top of her belly.

Gasping, Cathy leaned her head to the side and smiled. Burke's face seemed unsettled by this but Cathy ignored it. She reached up slowly and ran her fingers along Burke's lapel, the gesture safer than his. His face held a mixture of enjoyment and confusion. Seeing him conflicted made her wonder why but she decided not to think about it.

Cheers sounded from behind her, breaking the bubble around her and Burke. Under the shadow of the city wall she felt cold but didn't complain about it. She turned and saw her brother lifted up on arms. Caleb, finally, a real hero. The crowd pressed past the angry cultists and about carried him towards a building marked "The Brass Lantern."

From the tops of hands and shoulders Caleb called out to his sister to join him. His face shown with a lost brilliance and she felt glad. Burke tugged at the tips of her hair and she paused before she took another step forward.

"I'll join you later," She yelled back. Not that he heard her, lost in the celebration of a town no longer in bondage.

Before Lucas Simms entered the Brass Lantern he gave Cathy and her companion a disapproving look. She could hear the sound of his voice, announcing something, and then another cheer from inside the restaurant. For a moment Cathy debated ditching Burke and joining them but the disquiet playing across his features kept her in place.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"You sent him down to disable the bomb while you spoke with me," Burk said. "One might think you were deliberately deceiving me."

"I had no idea what you wanted."

In her head she said a prayer that he'd recognize her honesty.

"You're a darling thing," Burke cupped her face, crushing her hair to the side of her face. "I don't think you'd lie to me but if you are, I'll find out and you'll pay."

She felt ignorant about how to respond to his statement.

"What kind of people live in this world?"

"The worst," He whispered back. "We'll see if you deserve what I have to offer."

"What could anyone here have to offer?" Cathy asked. "The vault is probably the nicest place left and it's sealed behind four feet of steel."

Burke's face held a grotesque joy.

"You're wrong."

How badly she wanted to be wrong. Her brother had just secured a place in Megaton, she knew it in her gut, but she didn't want to stay. If Burke had something better she'd grasp at it, cling to it, because she had little else.

Turning away from Cathy, Burke moved to a ground floor building, unlocked it, and held the door open with a polite bow. Stiff legs lead Cathy towards the door and into the darkness within. Once inside she looked down her feet, mud crowding up onto her boots. The water from beneath the bomb must make the center of the crater moist.

"And here we measure your worth," Burke said as she stepped inside and began to peel off her shoes.

Still standing behind her, he seemed as dark as the unlit house, and as suffocating as the stale air. She shifted to look out at the intense sunlight flooding the town when he shut the door. Her eyes took a few seconds to adjust and then sparse nature of the room made her feel sad.

Sunbeams and dust filtered in through the holes in the walls and ceilings. The cracks provided just enough illumination to see what lay around her. Cathy moved past a worn sofa to a small round table. Atop the wooden surface sat a gramophone, antique before the war. She touched the hole where the handle went.

"It's missing. I have the records, but it won't work."

"Shameful," Cathy responded. "I really like music."

"I can't imagine the reaction if I started it up," He mused. "They only know the crude rock songs from the radio. Scavengers have brought me Brahms, Beethoven, Shostakovitch, Mussorgsky and Prokofiev. I enjoy the Russians, the haunted melodies that speak of nature and life. Have you heard them before?"

Rather than wait for an answer, Burke began to hum. He sounded a minor cord, a dismal tune, cold and aloof, aghast at the promise of human touch. Then hope rose, he selected the higher keys, the fluttering whimsy of a heart in love. Too tender to express itself aside from music, the soul enfolded itself in borrowed glee.

She knew the tune. Once a month it would play on the vault PA, late at night.

Still humming the tune, he removed his hat, coat, and glasses. Folding and placing each in its proper spot. Burke's bare face seemed tough and weary in this light. His humming transferred to his mouth, the notes beating out between his lips and he smiled at her. He swept her up in his arms, causing him to grow short of breath and making it hard to dance to tune.

On tip toes past broken sinks, moldy plates, worn textiles and glimpses out into the wasteland she flew. As if by magic she drifted over Burke and the broken landscape of her foreign America. The song grew dark again. Unable to stop her soul from boiling, Cathy sang along. Little words she remembered from when she'd heard the song in the vault.

_"And outside may lay castles unfinished,_

_Streams wind down to dirt,_

_Into nothing._

_I find myself alone_

_And alive in the memory of you,_

_A thousand words insufficient,_

_Praying for one kiss,_

_On lips so cold."_

He paused and listened to her. His hand twisted in hers, their bodies pressing close.

"You have a beautiful voice. It's like a sparrow. You see them so rarely but I hear they used to be common."

His words made Cathy feel more ridiculous than she imagined possible. She had no idea why she sang for him. Now her tongue felt broken and she didn't know how to tell him she was only a lost child. Oddly he seemed to see it and took this moment to plant a kiss on her lips. Light and somber, like she might crack open and reveal a serpent if he pressed harder.

"Now is the winter of our discontent," he quoted. "…Grim-visag'd war hath smooth'd his wrinkled front; And now, instead of mounting barbed steeds to fright the souls of fearful adversaries, He capers nimbly in a lady's chamber, To the lascivious pleasing of a lute."

She shook her head; she didn't know where his words came from.

"It doesn't matter," Burke sighed. She'd disappointed him and it made her wish she could be less stupid.

Light footsteps lead to the bed. She stood over it as if it held the corpse of every person she'd ever known but he took no notice. Instead his finger traced along the zipper on her back. She'd imagined Butch pushing this zipper down, his youthful excitement making her gown pool at her feet like she'd bleed-out before him. More than Butch would have, Burke savored every second of the zip.

Before the dress could fall, Cathy caught it and turned to face her would-be lover. He seemed annoyed, looking at her for an explanation. Afraid to back out now, she kissed him, her soft lips parting the dried cracked surface of his. This made him snicker.

"I suppose this should be more romantic," he whispered.

"I haven't kissed many people," She sputtered. Then awkwardness won over. "Just one really. The same one. For years. We never did much more though. Well it wasn't like this. I'm not like this."

"Of course not." Her words amused him endlessly, told by his reaction. "I'm sure you're a sweet innocent virgin from the vault. You ask me to take a card from the deck, cleverly, never putting it back. Then you wave your hand and present it to me at the end, saying 'this is magic.' Come now; let us judge the craftsmanship of your trick."

"You're odd," she said. Once again her mind screamed at her to leave. She didn't need to be insulted, she had Caleb for that.

Ignoring her words, Burke placed another kiss on her lips, drawing her dress down with his hands. Her Vault issued bra didn't offer much by way of looks but the smooth, grey material interested him. His thumb hooked under the right strap and he pulled the crook of his finger along the line.

"The dress almost fits you in the front." He noted. "I don't really see the need for this, however."

"Maybe I should just leave." She began to pull up the top of her dress but Burke stopped her.

Forcefully this time, he kissed her again, buckling his knees against the bed. His hands worked over her as if she were made of clay. He tugged and pulled, cloth disgorged from both their bodies. She discovered he sagged and dropped in placed Butch had not. The surrenders of age on a much older man, revealed to young eyes.

This left the both of them naked her naked and him obviously erect. He pressed the sweaty shaft against her, watching her face curiously. She stared back through half lidded eyes, the ministrations of his lips and tongue on her body having stirred her to a ready point.

With his hands on her shoulders he guided her backwards on the bed. She felt like a snail, dragging its body along as it moved. When she reached the wall he pressed her legs farther open, running the head of his cock against her. Strange noises came from her throat, beseeching him to do it, even if she proved too cowardly to state her desires.

"In good time," he promised. Condescending, yet again.

Swirling around in her wetness he seemed to savor her reactions. Her back came to life in a way she'd rarely felt before and she felt her passions oozing out onto him. She writhed, begged, her nose pulling in the smell of masculine sweat.

Leaning forward, Burke spoke gently to her right ear. "The truth I think." Then stabbed at her quickly.

She grasped and raked across the bed, a hiss of pain escaping between her teeth. Pleasure forced a moan from his lips but he remained still over her.

"Get used to it." he commanded, then thrust again.

This time the ache dulled. Good, because he took no pause. A few more strokes and the hurt had all but ebbed. She even began to enjoy it. Her fingers made their way up his arms, as Burke sunk down into her. He held her now, lifting her back up as he moved in and out of her body. Cathy cried out, as Burke's arms shook and he dropped her sweating body to withdraw and ejaculate across her breasts.

Seconds passed before Cathy recovered enough to open her eyes all the way. Burke leaned over her on his forearms, looking down at her. He seemed surprised and she couldn't imagine why. At last he touched the fluid pooled up on her right breast, running a line down her belly to her crotch.

She sat up now, moving away from him, afraid she'd committed some faux-pas. He lifted up two blood covered fingers, his eyes still wild. Maybe no one had told him girls do that the first time.

"I'm sorry," She said. "I can't help it."

Her words made Burke's eyes soften and his entire countenance change. He reached his strong arm out and scooped her up. Pressing her chest to his, she felt their fluids mix into his chest hair and she swallowed as she repeated. "I'm sorry."

"No," he responded. "You really are from the vault. You really are innocent and young. You weren't lying or running a long con. You're real."

Pity filled Cathy; she pressed herself close against him and tried not to cry. Her father, Butch, the loss of her virginity to a total stranger, had viciously caught up to her. Burke rocked her, never letting go or loosening his grip. He let her tears leak down his face, along his cheek and in-between their flesh, sealing them together in wetness.

He held her for some time, until she caught her breath and began to control the sobs. This time he whispered, "I'm sorry. I had no idea. I thought your brother had killed the man with the vault suit and come to con the people of Megaton."

"The man in the vault suit is my dad," Cathy whined. "He's out there, we don't know where, and we don't know why. He just left. So they kicked us out and now we can never go home."

Burke settled her back in his arms, his face large in her vision. He had the funniest ball on the end of his nose, and she wished she could free her arms to touch it.

He watched her, his face more serious than she thought possible. "I'll give you a new home. I have a mission, it's changed because of you, but I promise to bring you there as soon as it's ready. I have to go back tomorrow and make some preparations, but I'll see you soon. I promise I'll send for you soon."

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

Her teasing made Burke grow stiff. Something about her words made him angry but he put it aside quickly. He placed her down on the bed gently and walked into another room, without a word. Cathy sat up and looked around, wondering what he expected her to do. Then she heard the sound of water.

He emerged from the other room, naked, as she stepped out of the bed.

"No," he said.

She had no idea why, until he walked over and picked her up. Sweeping his arm under her legs, he carried her to the bath and slowly eased her into the cold water. She shivered as he stepped in beside her.

"I'm sorry it's not warm. I could heat some on the stove but it would take to long."

Soap moved over his skin as he continued, "Clean yourself. There is some food in the counters and all the safe water you could need. Wait here for me and I'll bring you some appropriate clothes, but for now put your dress back on. You look beautiful in it but it makes you a target."

She didn't know what to say, so rather than speak she leaned back and pressed a kiss to his lips. The gesture made him happy and he indulged in it. He pressed the soap to her chest, making little circles against her breasts, then stopping.

"I'm need to get you real clothes."

He abruptly stood from the water and stepped out. Some memory or thought pestering him but Cathy didn't have the gumption to ask about it. He pulled on a fresh pair of pants he'd placed near the bath and clumsily pulled an off-white shirt over his head. Giddiness laced every action and it felt nice to make someone so happy.

Looking back at her with a sparkle in his eye Burke said, "I know you'll want to go see your brother. I bet Simms gave him the house at the top of the hill. He's been saying he'd do that to anyone who disarmed the bomb."

Once again lost in thought, Burke leaned over the tub and tapped his finger against the tip of her nose. It hurt a little and Cathy responded by sneezing.

"I want you to stay here tonight. Think of this as our secret home, even if this will be our only night in it together. Promise you'll come back to me tonight and I promise to be gentle, because I already know that I love you. In the morning I'll give you the key and you can come and go as you will, until I fetch you and bring you to stay with me."

Humbled by his words, Cathy sank down in the water. She tried to think of whatever she did to deserve this or if she even wanted it. Did Burke provide something different than the pre-programmed life in the Vault? Thinking of her old life and Butch made her realize she'd betrayed him in the worst way, and the tears started to come again.

Sliding onto his knees carefully, Burke ran his hand across her face. He kissed her cheek and cooed at her.

"It will be okay, darling girl. Fate has sent you to me and now I intend to take care of you. I know a lot has happened to you, but I'm here and I can keep you safe. You just have to give me time and your heart. I love you, Cathy, don't be sad."

"I won't be sad anymore." she smiled up at him, believing her own words.

He hovered for a second but when she said nothing more he settled on it and bid her goodbye. She watched from the bath as he finished dressing. Shivering in the cold water and closing her eyes when he shut the door. There were less rays of light in this room and she squinted as she cleaned the last remains of Burke's semen off her body. Finished she left the bath and cursed the roughness of the towel.

Did she really want him to come back for her? She didn't know and decided time would sort it out. Unavoidable, change would visit her and alter her life in ways she couldn't fathom. The last twenty-four hours had taught her how futile plans can be.

* * *

7

Brown pants made of crude plant fiber, an off white shirt over and ecru undershirt, a knife, and a nine millimeter pistol. All presents from Burke, all traded for a moment of vulnerable intimacy. He had been a good judge of size, but her pants fit around her backside a little too tight.

Every time she buttoned up the fly of her britches, she thought about the shocked look on her brother's face when she stepped in to celebrate the bomb disarming. Her wet hair and companion betrayed her actions and his reaction told of pure disgust.

If no one had been around she felt certain Caleb would have asked, "What about Butch?"

She'd stayed at the party, celebrating with half the town. Safety could be a luxurious as gold, and these people had never seen much of either. Even Nova, the red headed prostitute, came to join in the merriment. To Cathy's surprise she seemed to be turning down customers to flirt with her brother.

They referred to Cathy as "the sister of the man who disarmed the bomb," and asked how proud she had to be a few too many times. Before she knew it she grew sick of the attention and poorly made beer. The worst came when her brother, sloppy from all the free drinks, told her he'd gotten them a new home.

"We're going to be fine living outside the vault," He shouted. "We already have a new home, Cathy. Things are looking up."

This forced a rude smile from Burke, who stood at Cathy's side the entire time. She could tell the smile intrigued her brother, but he didn't ask about it. Instead he narrowed his eyes in a way that communicated displeasure. If she said anything she'd look crazy and this made her feel weak and pathetic.

Tired of the merrymaking, she and Burke crawled back to his house. Inside, he lit candles made out of Brahman tallow and prepared a meal of ant stew. She put her red dress back on and they ate together at the table. Over small talk the meal passed quickly and Cathy found herself in bed with her lover again.

Burke made no illusion of catering to Cathy's needs. Tender at first but his lovemaking turned harsh and cruel quickly. He'd roll her over on top of him and command her to bring him to satisfaction. Next his mouth would cover every inch, drinking her as if life depending on such consumption. At last he'd hold her down and take what he needed, demanding everything she could give.

Sleep came in bursts, one hungry lover awakening the other, repeating earlier motions. Sweat pooled up and left the sheets humid and damp, forcing the two to eject them onto the floor.

When morning came the sun peaked in through the cracks, throwing down light on Cathy and Burke, like stars in a planetarium. She looked up at one shaft of sunlight and wondered if God judged her as harshly as her brother. How would she explain this and did she really need to? The one thing Burke consistently repeated, he loved her, he'd come back. If Caleb could see that, maybe he'd go easier on her.

When he rose in the morning, after making love to her one last time, Burke made breakfast. They consumed it in silence, neither capable of expressing their dismay or worry. She watched him move away from his chair. Time sped up and soon he was placing his hat on his head, and restoring his sunglasses and jacket.

Wavering like a tree, Burke stood in the doorway, hesitation planting his feet. Cathy pressed her arms together and stood close to him, the sadness of losing another person welling up inside of her and threatening to break.

Putting his hands on both of her shoulders he locked eyes with her through the glass. "If you believe in anything, my love, believe in me. I will come back for you. I have business to tend to, but you will be first in my heart."

"Running away for some mysterious business-just like my father. I don't know what I'm doing; if I did I wouldn't be putting myself through this."

"Don't say that." Burke ran his finger along her jaw. "I love you. I will come back. And when I do, I'll tell you everything. I'll make Tenpenny understand, I have to."

"If you don't mind, I'm going to keep myself busy helping Caleb look for dad."

"Cathy." His words were like a beggar. "Whatever you do, don't leave Megaton. Stay here, make yourself useful somehow but don't go into the wastes. They eat people up, and I can't stand the thought of losing you."

She couldn't look at him. "We've had one night together; I don't understand why you think you love me."

Forcing her to look at him, Burke's eyes were a combination of fury and love. "I love you because fate sent you for me to protect. Now, I have to go my darling, promise you'll wait for me."

Unable to do anything else, Cathy averted her eyes. "Promise."

He hugged her tight, balancing a briefcase in his hand at the same time. Taking one last smooch, he headed out into the sunlight. Her feet grew heavy and Cathy found herself locked in place. Part of her ran along side of him, holding the gun he'd given her and refusing to abandon him.

Opening her mouth to call him back she found the words impossible. Everything inside of her would have to steel itself to beg him to stay and she couldn't manage to do it. This wavering resolve caused her to remember an old movie. In the film a man said if the woman he likes turned and looked at him she really cared. She made this vow; if Burke cared he'd pause. If he loved her he'd stop and run back to her arms.

Reaching the gate she watched his body disappear inside and wrestled with a deep disappointment. She shouldn't be superstitious, looking for portents in mundane things. It would be easier if Burke could be the love of her life but she knew how ridiculous it sounded.

Turning to reenter she saw a white envelope crushed behind the candle lantern on the porch. Curiosity caused her to reach for it. As she turned the crumpled paper over she noticed her name, written in blue-black ink. The package felt lumpy. Tearing the paper away she discovered a small key with a birdcage charm stamped into the medallion hanging from it. Tossing it up and down in her hand, Cathy wondered why he'd chosen that image.

* * *

8

Cathy could only bear being in the house long enough to gather up her things. Finding Caleb seemed important. Whatever she'd promised Burke, she couldn't let her brother hunt for her father alone.

She put the extra clothes, ammo and dry goods Burke bought her, into a bag and drew the string tight. As she lifted the satchel a can fell from the shelf and a shower of bottle caps landed around her, with a piece of paper lying in the middle of it.

_Cathy, _

_I told you I'd take care of you. _

_Try not to worry. _

_Love, _

_B. _

Reading it several times before stuffing it in her pocket, she leaned down and scooped up the money. She felt dirty taking so much from him but she comforted herself with the idea he'd helped her because they had shared a moment. It's prostitution when you expect money for services rendered, not when someone gives you things out of affection.

Knowing her brother, he wouldn't understand the difference. Caleb had never been as emotionally vulnerable as her. Everyone seemed certain he'd slept with Amata in the vault but they kept it secret. They would have been married eventually, just like she and Butch were going to be married. Butch swam into her vision again and Cathy felt a fire of tingles trail down her arms. Her fingers threatened to go numb and she tried to relax herself to make it go away.

"I haven't betrayed Butch." She repeated this softly. Something nagged at the back of her mind, she felt as if she'd forgotten something. Then she saw it. Crumpled in the corner, her red dress, discarded like it never mattered.

Picking it up, the silky feeling of the material far more luxurious than anything she wore now, she tried to ignore the smell of sweat coming from it. She held it out and looked at her hard work and the dirt smudges on the edge of it. How she had come to live in this moment seemed surreal, as if it had taken far more than two days.

Folding the dress over her arm, she picked up her pack and walked towards the door. Locking the bolt behind her, she headed up the hill towards the gate in a firestorm of shaky uncertainty.

"I'm never going to see him again," She told herself. "Burke will never send for me. I have to find my father but first I have to find my brother."

Moving to the right, towards the house Burke had pointed out, she surveyed the metal box-full of rusty holes, just like everything in this town. At least this house seemed big compared to the others. She hoped it would have functional water and sewer like Burke's and if not she could always sneak off to his place to bathe.

Now she had to open the door. A operating bathroom wouldn't help her deal with her brother. Standing at his threshold, her fist poised to knock, but her courage not quite ready for it, she made up excuses for last night. They all felt shallow and she didn't want to explain. Probably the best bet would be to let him ask questions and answer them as she felt appropriate.

Summoning the courage to knock, Cathy startled when a robot with a British accent answered the door. A faded turquoise dome hovered in the air using a gas propulsion jet. Numerous arms hung from the machine, like tentacles on an octopus. Upon noticing her with its round censor eye the robot inquired, "Yes, how may I help you madam?"

"I'm Cathy, Caleb's sister."

"Master Caleb told me of your coming," The robot announced. "Please come inside. Would you like a bottle of water to drink while I roust Master Caleb?"

"Sure. Water sounds great."

The machine used a pincher claw to lift open its chest and remove a bottle of water. Taking the used plastic bottle from the robot's arm, she opened the bottle and took a swig. The water tasted flat, not like anything she'd had since leaving the vault.

"How did you get this?"

The robot shifted mid hover and answered, "I am specially equipped with condensation units."

"It's distilled water."

"Correct Madame," the robot declared. "Now if you will excuse me I will alert your brother to your presence."

"Great," Cathy grumbled. "I'll just sit down here and try not to touch anything."

"Very well, Madame." the robot responded as it floated up the stairs.

Unstable feet walked Cathy around the living room. A stand with a little bobble head statue caught her attention. The figurine wore a doctor's outfit and belonged to their father. Caleb must have snagged it on his way out of the vault. She reached out and tapped the shaky head with her finger nail, wishing its silly face made her feel happy.

A door on the second floor slammed and a woman with bright red hair began to jog towards the door. Nova, the prostitute from Moriarty's. At least Cathy didn't have to pay for Burke's company.

Lifting her head while she left, Nova smiled at Cathy.

"Good morning."

"Good morning yourself."

Cathy tried not to gloat. She felt amazed her brother would stoop to sleeping with a whore, but at least it left him less room to act superior.

Reading Cathy, Nova turned to speak to her. "We stayed up the whole night talking. He's really smart, your brother. I told him a lot of information about the wastes. He'll need it if he's going to keep you two alive."

Unable to conceive of a chaste night between Caleb and Nova, she sneered at the older woman. Clutching her dress close Cathy tried to let it go and not judge her brother. Everyone needs comfort sometimes.

Weary looking, Nova finished pulling her jacket on and headed out the door. Cathy watched the woman saunter out; the overly sexed way she swung her hips making her feel inferior. One night in the Vault bathrooms she'd walked back and forth in front of the stalls, trying to swing her hips like that. It never worked out; Cathy always tripped or shook her hips a little too much.

"You probably have to sleep with a lot of men to get loose like that," Cathy grumbled.

"What did you say?" Her brother announced from the top of the stairs.

Despite her best efforts Cathy felt the blood go to her face. Squeezing her arms closer to her chest she looked at him in his vault suit, with his blue baseball cap and hated him a little. How did he look so wholesome after spending the night with a hooker?

"Nothing," She said. "Good morning, I guess. So-this is your new house."

Sighing, Caleb extended his hand outwards, gesturing at the empty space around them.

"Our home. I couldn't kick my kid sister out in the cold, could I? Plus, there is a spare bedroom."

"I'm ninety three seconds younger than you," Cathy said.

"Just in time to kill mom," Caleb grinned.

A joke he'd tell when Cathy began to piss him off.

"If dad heard you say that he'd get mad."

A stupid comeback but she didn't have a better one.

"You know I'm just kidding," Caleb teased. "Dad would be glad I'm keeping positive in such a harsh atmosphere. Look at us Cathy, thanks to those diagrams I downloaded off your Pip-Boy I disarmed a nuclear bomb, became the hero of Megaton and now I can provide housing for my family."

"I guess I really owe you."

"Are you being sarcastic?"

The boldness in Caleb's tone made Cathy grimace.

Pressing her crossed arms into her chest Cathy pretended to be distracted by the kitchen. It consisted of a simple oven, a sink, and about a dozen chipped dishes and glasses. A box of Fancy Lad Snack Cakes, two Salisbury Steaks, and four cans of Pork and Beans made up their pantry. The contents of these old world packages sounded gross and bland, just like the noodles she'd had yesterday.

"It's not much." Caleb said from behind her. "Would you like to see your room?"

"Yeah I guess." She said to her warped reflection in the refrigerator.

At the top of the stair her brother victoriously opened the door to a small room. Inside, a twin sized bed and a pair of shelves stood solemnly. She leaned over and sat on the antique springs. This released a squeal of protest from the old bed. Bouncing she looked up at the holes in the ceiling, and followed the shafts of light to where they pooled on the floor.

Looking at Caleb, she couldn't think of anything clever to say. Protectively she squeezed the key to Burke's house through her pocket and looked back at the floor. The small room reminded her of the vault but she'd never had a room to herself in there. Eventually she became aware of a huge grin spread across Caleb's face.

"Your own room," he said. "It's great, right? You can decorate it however you want. They told me Moira from Craterside Supply will sell us things for the house. I can't wait to get this stuff looking good for when dad comes here."

"If dad comes here, do I have to share a room with you again?"

The question pleased Caleb, who patted his sister on the back. Placing his hands behind his head he walked out to the metal railing and looked at his new living room. His smug manner made her need to take him down a peg. She searched the house, wanting something to remind him he how well she knew him.

Resting a finger in the jagged metal hole in the wall separating her room from the foyer, Cathy wiggled the digit and in a mocking voice said, "Oh Caleb, it is such a lovely shack you have here. Thank you for letting me stay in it."

Caleb's response was lost between the sheet metal wall. Continuing to wiggle her finger around Cathy wondered if he'd even noticed her stunt. Finally she withdrew it and stepped over to the door to find Caleb standing in the way. His arms crossed, he seemed properly perturbed by her actions. How upset it seemed made her feel guilty for teasing him.

"I guess I should get a curtain to cover the hole," Cathy explained.

"You could have asked," He sighed. "I'll get you anything you want, Kitty. Which reminds me, where did you get your new outfit?"

The question embarrassed Cathy, which made her feel defensive. She turned to the bed and folded her red dress, then carefully placed it on the top rung of the shelf in her room.

"You should answer me," He goaded. "I'm the only family you have left. I want to look out for your well-being."

"What were you doing here with Nova all night?" Cathy responded. "Did it cost very much, or did she throw the hero of Megaton a freebie?"

Her insult had met its mark.

"I should have left you in that cave crying for Butch. At least he isn't the same age as our father."

"Fuck you," Cathy countered. "You wouldn't have been able to disable shit if it I didn't have mechanical diorama's on my Pip-Boy. Yet you parade around here like a god, never acknowledging my contribution."

"You've always been jealous of me," Caleb added. "Dad always liked me best and the reason is obvious. I'm not a rebellious little tart with an inferiority complex."

"At least I tried to be worthy of his love," Cathy growled. "You never did anything but squander his affection. You cheated on the G.O.A.T. and started a life beneath you. Who is the rebellious little shit now?"

"Yeah I cheated on the goat," He admitted. "Mr. Brotch let me fill out the paperwork so I could be whatever I wanted. I could have been a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g and I picked a guard. I wanted to protect people like I'm protecting you right now."

"Don't use me as an excuse for your foolishness."

Shaking out his hair, Caleb glared at her haughtily.

"You never motivated me to do crap. I didn't take the stupid aptitude test because I knew it would be a waste of time. I was right, too. The G.O.A.T. means nothing here and if you ask me, the fact you studied and obsessed over it is sad."

Harsh words forced Cathy onto the bed. She sat with her head down, clutching her ears between her hands. She didn't want to acknowledge how right he could be. Everything that mattered in the Vault proved to be a joke out here and now Cathy had to pick up the pieces of her life and start over.

"You could have been so much better," she whispered.

"I am better," Caleb said. "Can't you see that? I'm already the Hero of Megaton. The boy twin from Vault 101. For all we know I have been sent here by God to save them from their miserable lives. Bonus that I get to watch after my sister, too. We're gonna find Dad, Cathy, and when he and you put your big brains together you'll make this place better than anyone ever dreamed."

"The world never gets better," Cathy responded. "It just sinks into deeper shit."

"You have to start thinking positive."

He sat on the bed next to her, wrapping his arms around her stomach and pulling her close. Leaning in he let his lips rest against her scalp softly and she didn't mind the comfort. Freeing his right hand, he pointed up at the pin-pricks of light coming through the ceiling.

"You, me and Dad can do so much more than the average Wastelander. We have education and old world knowledge backing us up."

"What if the wasteland doesn't want to change?" She began to feel hopeful despite herself.

"Be the change you want to see," he quoted.

Cathy gripped the hand on her brother's shoulder and smiled sincerely for the first time since she'd left the vault. This felt uncomplicated. Finding their father and saving the world. What could go wrong?


	4. Chapters 09-12

9

"You should have let me hack the terminal at Moriarty's," Cathy hissed at her brother, from behind the grocery store counter.

"We're not going over that again." Caleb commanded as he squeezed the rifle he'd just found.

"How many rounds does it have?" Cathy asked.

"At least five," He said, "And I found an ammo clip behind those boxes. We're set."

"I've got two in the shotgun and a full clip on my hip," Cathy grinned. "I'll go in the back and send the Protectron out. You circle round and get the assholes coming from the other side of the store."

Nodding, Caleb started off towards the door before she'd finished.

"Stop," she called.

"What is it?"

"No more jobs for Moira," Cathy said. "That bitch is crazy."

Exasperated, Caleb shrugged his shoulders and continued to sneak away. When he moved out of sight, she reached down and pulled on the cloth tied around her arm with her teeth and crab walked into the storage room. A nasty cut but she'd clean it up later. Thankfully the vault kept them current on shots. She reached the half way point between her and the Protectron before she felt safe enough to stand up and turn it on.

Dust shook off of the metal door, as it slid to the side of the round chamber holding the machine. From inside emerged a two legged robot with a dome top head that emitted light. Shaking from side to side like a drunk, it pivoted on pistons and approached Cathy.

"Scanning for main database," The machine announced. "Unreachable. Security, unreachable. Robco Mainframe, unreachable. Changing to disaster mode. Please identify yourself or vacate the building."

Cathy jumped back, holding up an ancient ID card, like a holy symbol used against a vampire. The badge had faded and the robot wouldn't be able to make a comparison.

"Scanning," The two legged robot announced. After several seconds it confirmed Cathy belonged here and began to lumber towards the door.

Beating her feet against the rugged tile floor, Cathy ran towards where her brother sat waiting for her. She reached Caleb, crouching behind the counters, just in time for the robot to reach the raiders on the other side.

A man with a Mohawk and tattoos approached the machine. Even from here the raider glistened with grime and sweat, explaining the body funk that originated from the bedding in the back of the store. Filth meant nothing to the robot, which grew quiet as it scanned the man for identification.

"Hey guys," The raider shouted to his companions. "The stupid robot woke up and wants to know who I am."

"Fucking bucket of rust," A female said.

She stepped out from behind one of the fallen shelves and motioned at the Protectron with her shotgun. "It stumbles around like it just learned to walk."

The raiders seemed to find this funny. Cathy held her breath while the robot scanned the woman with the shot gun and the people around it. As soon as the action started she could move again. Crouching behind counters had started to make her knees and back ache and she wanted to go to Megaton and forget about this stupid job.

"Trespassers, you have exactly ten seconds to exit this property," The machine spoke. "The use of deadly force has been authorized."

"What the fuck ever," The head raider slung his rifle over his shoulder and walked behind a shelf. Several of his crew pushed in, happy to watch the machine as it counted down.

"Commence termination of unapproved guests," The Protectron said. Lifting a metal hand slowly, three lasers shot from the limb in rapid succession, turning the targets into ash.

The female raider with the shot gun screamed and jumped out of the way as a flash of red narrowly missed her. On the other side of the counter Cathy congratulated herself as he brother nudged her. On queue they both jumped up and opened fire on the raiders attacking the robot.

Nailing one in the chest with a bullet, Caleb jumped over the counter as the robot's head exploded from the impact of a lead pipe. With great care he worked his way to the side. Cathy groaned at her brother's bravery and began to run down the back hall, afraid her sore knees would keep her from hoping over the barrier.

Emerging from the door, Cathy clambered past several empty coolers, her shoe's crunching the glass from their broken lids. A bullet whizzed past her and burst a package of dish cleaner and she took cover behind a toppled shelf. Looking around for her brother, she realized he'd taken up position on the other side of the store.

Cursing the fact she was isolated, Cathy watched a raider scramble up to the top of the upright shelves. He seemed to be walking on rotted planks as he scanned for enemies. After a few seconds of searching, the man motioned to someone else and the PA squeaked.

"Listen you little fucks," The voice of the head raider came over the intercom. "We know you're in here. So come out, and make killing yah's easier on everyone."

"Fuck you," Cathy yelled.

To punctuate her refusal, crimson beams shot from the laser pistol she'd found at the front of the store. The first few shots missed her target, who automatically returned fire. After a few seconds of exchange Cathy finally made contact with the Raider, causing him to disintegrate.

A body began to lumber towards her from the right. Cathy swung her gun, took aim, and yanked her pistol to the side to avoid blowing her brother to hell. A bullet ricocheted past Cathy and her arm suddenly hurt worse. She looked own to see a line of blood where a bullet had grazed through the flesh on the side.

"Fuck," She yelled as Caleb jumped around the corner and emptied several shots into a raider.

"Caleb it hurts," Cathy called out. Ignoring her words, Caleb rounded the side of the isle and began to slowly crouch towards the entrance.

"Caleb does it look bad?" she called after him, pain and panic dulling her senses.

"Shut up," Caleb hissed back. "You're going to draw them to you."

Quivering lips formed a pout and Cathy crawled behind her brother. He'd already reached the end when she saw a mohawk poke up over the counter in front of them. Caleb didn't see it, he was to busy watching someone to his right. As Caleb lifted his gun so did the man with the mohawk.

Cathy looked down at the laser pistol in her hand-blood from her wound made her grip on it sticky but she raised it none the less. The man with the mohawk drew a deep breath as Caleb ran forward. She tilted her gun a little and fired in the direction of the threat, and the area behind the counter filled up with red light. The laser had cut down its former master, returning him to the dust from wince he came.

Gun shots echoed off the concrete wall at the edge of the store and Cathy realized her ears were ringing from being so close. Unable to see Caleb, the thought she might lose him hit her and she tried not to panic. She pressed past the shelves, too afraid of abandoning her brother to deal with the blood oozing down her arm.

She kicked the latch to open the front room and found a dead body belonging to head raider. Caleb must have managed to shoot him while he reached for the PA. The gun the raider used lay on top of him, and the smell of blood and body odor choked her throat. She picked up the small gun, put it in her pocket then kicked him aside, looking for more ammo.

Several good objects were hidden on his body but she had to fight the urge to vomit the entire time. His wounds were making a slick mess on the ground and she wished corpses didn't leak blood like this. Where was Caleb?

Looking up at the PA, Cathy used her wounded hand to jam down the button and spoke into the microphone. "All clear Caleb?"

"Clear," He shouted from the corner, near where the Protectron had fallen.

"I'll meet you in the front." her voice boomed over the speakers. "We got the shit for Moira. Time to go home."

It took a few minutes for Caleb to move back to the front of the store. When he reached Cathy she pulled a piece of gauze she'd found in the back room and used her teeth to open it. Caleb took the wad of virgin white material and packed it clumsily into her wound. Grunting in pain, Cathy retrieved some tape from her bag and the two bound up the slash so it wouldn't bleed too much.

"You should use a stimpack."

"They are pretty expensive," Cathy responded. "If I get some stitches I'll be fine in about a week."

"We don't have a week," He reminded her. "Rather waste the thirty-two caps."

"What are you going to do when you've blown a hole in your leg and need to run off?" Cathy glared at her brother and he turned his gaze away in acknowledgment she was right. "Knowing our luck I'll get shot in the butt and we'll have to use one sooner than I'd like. At least with stims you heal all wounds at once."

"You're such an optimist. All the raiders had stuff we can sell to Moira, on top of our fee for doing this job. Lets load down your pack, I can't carry much more."

"I'm already full up with drugs and food," Cathy countered, "But whatever."

The pain in Cathy's arm increased as Caleb jerked her around, lacing weapons and ammo into the straps of her back. She closed her eyes for a second and let the wound remind her of her new reality. At least she could feel this, after Burke left everything felt dimmer. She knew better and yet she put so much hope into that man. Probably she needed something to keep her from crying over losing the Vault. Moriarty's fee, Moira's crazy quest, they all created enough worries. Cathy couldn't allow herself enough time to process any of these things, least they overwhelm her. Now she walked out of a decrepit grocery story with the bodies of people her age and younger rotting inside.

As she moved outside, Cathy turned and looked at the shadows lingering in the building. She shifted in the dirt, thinking about how her blood had been left alongside that of her foes. Her temper rose at this and she dropped her pack to the ground a little too hard.

"What you doing Kitty?" Jacob asked.

His eyes were wide; he was always bad at hiding shock.

"Giving them a Viking funeral to accompany them to hell," She answered.

Pulling a bottle of vodka from the pack, Cathy packed another roll of gauze into it. Caleb stood over her now, wilder in the eye than she thought possible. He put his hand on hers, bending down on shaky knee, and shook his head.

"Just leave it be."

"I can't leave anything be," she responded.

Putting the bottle on the ground while she stood up, Cathy pulled a box of matches she'd found from her pocket. A few strikes across the side and one lit. She touched it to the top of the bottle of liquor and watched as the fire spread.

She grabbed the clear bottle, running backwards as swiftly as she could. Caleb pulled her pack close to him and scooted away from the building.

"You need to toss it soon or it will explode."

"Whatever," Cathy said. She jumped forward a few feet and pitched the bottle at the sign on the top of the building. The pasteboard reading "Super-Duper Mart" remained unchanged, and then the fire caught the edges of rotting wood, paper, and glue.

The twins watched for some time as the flames spread across the sign then down its legs. Once the boards caught, the old billboard fell backwards onto the flat roof. A great poof of smoke exploded as it fell, then smaller smoldering streamers wiggled up into the sky.

"Looks like it's over now," Caleb remarked. "It seems like a waste to ruin the sign."

Ignoring her brother, Cathy kept her eyes peeled on the roof, debating if she should send another bottle up there. As she waited patiently, a small yellow flame peaked up over the edge and she felt satisfied the building would burn; the ceiling collapsing in, ruining the insides and walls.

"Satisfied?" Caleb sneered.

Refusing to acknowledge his tone, Cathy slid the pack on her back and started walking towards Megaton.

"That's not much of an answer," he called after her.

Running to catch up, Caleb grabbed Cathy's arm and spun her towards him. This brought on a dirty look to her eyes grew. She hoped she looked fearsome because she wanted to claw his face off for pulling her around so much.

"You're really starting to worry me," Caleb said.

"Look." Cathy motioned behind him with her hand, still clutching the laser pistol.

"Don't try to distract me," He lectured. "Burning that building down is messed up. Someone might need to use it for something worthwhile. Plus, the fire could spread, it doesn't rain here, everything is dry."

"You should look behind you," She responded.

Opening his mouth to lecture her further, Cathy shoved her finger up in front of her mouth then repeated the word, "Look." He turned finally. When he saw what she did he shut up. Probably he found the view as soul crushing as she did. A bridge stood down the road, running over a dirty, irradiated river. It looked like it may careen into the water at any moment but more depressing were the ruined buildings beyond.

On the way down they had been too distracted by fighting off raiders to notice the skeletal remains of Washington D.C. Every skyscraper, office complex, condo, small building, seemed to be falling apart or completely collapsed. A few points of smoke rose up into the sky, small, as if they were single camp fires. That people were alive in the mess caused a melancholy to sift further into Cathy.

"We're in hell," Caleb said.

His arms folded around his body and he stepped backwards towards his sister. "We died and now we're in hell."

"We shouldn't go into that," Cathy said. "No one who lives in the wreckage can be good."

"Promise we won't go?" he whispered.

"Promise," she said. "Now let's go home, I don't want to look at it anymore."

10

Scanning the road with his rifle, like a marine in a movie he'd watched, Caleb jogged in front of Cathy. She watched her brother check menacing rocks and cars for enemies, sighing every time he announced "all clear." They'd traveled for an hour like this and the novelty wore off long ago.

"Is this a game to you?" Cathy sneered. "We just killed twelve people and you're acting like an idiot from a war movie. What's it going to take for you to realize the implications of our new life?"

"How many clicks till we get to Megaton?"

He was avoiding the question, something Cathy found annoying. Soot from the super market fire caked up on his neck. Everything they'd been through felt so surreal and she decided to ignore his behavior and let him be a kid for a bit. Right now didn't feel like the time to fight.

"I don't even know what a click is," Cathy said.

"It's a measurement of distance."

Turning around, Caleb shot a cocky smile at his sister, who stopped to drop her laser pistol in the dirt. He arched his eyebrows, a silent question. Cathy gave him her own grin and used her good arm to snatch up an old tin can and lob it at his head. Instantly her wounded arm burned and begged her not to do it again but she felt justified when he dodged it and jogged ahead with his rifle pointed out. If he needed to act out a movie to feel useful, why not let him have it?

Picking up her laser pistol carefully, Cathy realized her left arm hurt in a way that signaled nerve damage. She needed to get back to Doc Church and get him to stitch it up. Caleb might not understand her desire to conserve supplies but he would. The doctor in Megaton might be grouchy but he her feel more comfortable than trying to walk her brother through a medical procedure.

As she flexed the fingers on her wounded arm, Caleb shifted to the right, drawing Cathy's attention towards a spot on the horizon. The spot seemed to be moving at the pace of an exhausted runner. At one point it stumbled and fell down, only to right itself again.

"Are you going to shoot?" Cathy asked.

"It's small," Caleb responded. "Real small. I think it's a kid. Plus it seems to be running away. I think we should wait and see if it draws a weapon before shooting at it."

"If it moves funny I'm going to blast it to ash," Cathy said. "I'm tired of everything we come across being hostile or fucked up."

"It's a little kid. Even if it pulls a weapon, it's probably too scared to do much."

"I guess we'll have to see."

The small body picked up momentum when it noticed the strangers stopped on the road. Cathy sneered at the approaching little boy, annoyed by how he foolishly trusted strangers to be safe. She hadn't been in the wilderness long and she already held a hearty suspicion of everyone she'd met.

The little boy collapsed at the feet of the two, gasping for air and wallowing in filth. Tear marks shown on his cheeks, revealing that underneath the grime glowed a healthy pink color. Caleb stooped over the boy, cradling his head and offering him a bottle of water. The little boy sobbed, and then gulped down a good bit of their water ration, not bothering to thank them.

"You look like you need something to eat," Caleb said.

Always tender with children, Caleb's smile seemed bright enough to drive away the scariest creature in the wasteland.

The little boy nodded in acknowledgment of the food offer, probably shocked by the kindness. Cathy scoffed at his silence and looked off in the direction he'd fled, half expecting a raider to be in pursuit. When nothing peaked over the hill she turned to look at the pair standing next to her.

Pebbles and chunks of long ruined pavement gathered around them, making the sight all the more pathetic. Caleb shook a box of Fancy Lad Snack cakes and two pure white treats fell onto his palm. The ancient sugar had congealed and left greasy sheen on the matted coconut top. The child looked at these like they were a feast and shoved them into his mouth in one swift motion. The greedy behavior forced Caleb to laugh, as he messed the boy's hair with his fingers.

"Can I have more?" the child asked.

Laughing still, Caleb pulled out another box. "I'm afraid all I have left is a box of gum."

Without asking, the boy snatched the box of round bubble gum pieces and began to pack the bright colored orbs into his cheeks. A glorping, smacking sound made both of the twins crinkle their noses in disgust. To Cathy's horror he chewed the candle shell just long enough to make it easy for the gum to slide down into his gullet. A glace from her brother spoke to his shared upset.

"What a fucking world," Cathy grunted.

Once again she busied herself checking the horizon for enemies, wishing she could close out the horrible sound of the child choking down bubble gum. Stepping into her vision, Caleb motioned to Cathy to follow him. She noticed he'd left the boy with a small switch blade, like the one Butch used to carry. He seemed to be standing guard over Caleb's pack.

"Are you stupid?" she asked. "We don't know that kid. He could steal all our shit."

"Shut up, Cathy," Caleb said. His eyebrows knit together and he glared at her. "I'm really tired of your negativity."

"I'm not negative," She responded. Defensive, she attempted to cross her arms but the pain stopped her.

"Whatever," Caleb said. "What I need from you now, is to take the kid back to my house in Megaton and make sure he's okay. He says monsters killed his dad and I'm going to head towards his settlement to see what's going on."

She couldn't believe her brother. He was going to ditch her with this strange kid and take off towards some unknown destination. Didn't dad just do the same thing?

"You're going to get yourself killed."

"Don't start with me, Cathy."

"What if this is a trick," she sniffled. "He could be luring you to a den of raiders set upon killing you and stealing your stuff. Not to mention he ate half your food supply."

They both looked at the little boy now, eying him suspiciously. He squatted over Caleb's pack, twitching and jumping at every noise he heard. When he shivered in the mid-day heat, Cathy felt her heart sink. His eyes contained a wild panic that existed in many of the wasteland residents and felt obscene in a child. No doubt this kid witnessed something horrible but Cathy wanted to keep her family alive.

"We can't leave him," Caleb told her. "I won't be responsible for the death of a child. Take him to Megaton, I promise I won't be gone for more than a day. I'll check it out and come right back. Cathy, he wants us to look for his dad. He lost his dad."

These words bit at Cathy, who rubbed her arms and took her turn shivering despite the glaring sun. Despite her efforts otherwise she felt a kindling of pity. Her brother always proved sappy and now he might find his death because of it. Still, she knew she couldn't stop him when he got like this. Better to give him her blessing and do her best to keep the child alive.

"Come on, squirt." Cathy yelled as she walked towards the boy.

"Thanks, Cathy," Caleb called after her.

Cathy ignored it. She knew Caleb wasn't being careful but she had to let him do this. He had something to prove.

The kid stirred in the dust, looking up at her with fear in his eyes. A black ash ground in around the dirt on his face, highlighting the puffy, dark circles under his eyes. He looked like an imp escaped from hell. The child turned and eyed Caleb, who nodded to assure him he could trust Cathy.

"She's my twin sister. Go with her. She'll take you to our house in Megaton."

"I got a hurt arm," She said. "I need you to keep a good pair of eyes out and cover me with your pig sticker, got me?"

"Got ya," The boy said.

He smiled now, a gap-toothed, lean smile. Quickly souring again, he wiggled his knife from side to side, reconsidering it. She looked at him and hoped his father would be okay, fearing this would prove to be an omen.

"This is a pig sticker," he said.

"Yep."

"Why?"

"Sticks pigs real good, don't it?"

"Maybe, I don't think I've ever seen a pig."

"What's your name anyways?" She asked.

They had started walking away from Caleb and she wanted to fight the urge to run to him.

"Bryan Wilks."

"My name's Cathy. Cathy Irving. Good to meet you, Brian."

Shielding his eyes, Bryan stared at her for a second, letting her walk ahead.

He quickly ran forward and asked, "What happened to your arm?"

"Raiders."

"Did they ambush you?"

"Nah. We got the jump on them, but one got off a lucky shot. It's only a flesh wound, so I'm gonna get Doc Church to stitch it up. Saves the cost of a stimpack."

"My dad gave me a stimpack once," Bryan announced.

Cathy chuckled, not far from the random conversation of childhood herself.

"I fell and broke my leg," he continued. "It hurt so bad, and my dad said we couldn't afford to set it. So he jammed that needle in me and I fainted. When I came to, I had got better."

"Had got better," Cathy repeated. "Can you read kid?"

"Nah," Bryan said. "Dad gave me some lessons, but mostly he worked."

"That's probably how it is out here."

Cathy tried to hide her disgust.

If the kid took offense, he didn't show it. Instead he darted around the rocks and crevices on the road. He'd take cover for a few seconds then fly to the next point. It reminded Cathy of Caleb holding his gun 'on point' and yelling "clear."

A few feet farther down the boy stopped and started shaking hard. Cathy looked forward and saw a large, fly looking insect. The creature emitted a shrill squeak before sending goop flying. The bile hit right at the base of her feet and Cathy managed to shout "What the fuck," before Brian nailed the monster in the body with his knife.

"Good job with the pig sticker," She kidded. "You might prove useful after all."

Walking towards Bryan, she watched as he kneeled and gutted the insect. This distraction kept her from noticing the other bug pop up from behind the rocks. A burning sensation started on her wounded arm, and she looked down at the brown goop eating its way through her dressings.

"Mother fucker," She yelled, raising her laser pistol with the wounded and firing.

The beam missed the insect. The gun kicked hard to the right and sent a searing pain down into her spine that dazed her. A scream echoed across the empty path, followed by the whooshing sound of Bryan's knife making contact.

Ripping the midsection out of the bug on the ground, he slopped the meat into Cathy's good hand and ran over to gut the other bug. Once again she'd been saved by an elementary schooler.

"You might want to get that shit off your arm," He said. "It'll burn through and mess you up worse than you are now."

"You've got a foul mouth for a kid." She teased.

"You're a lousy shot for an adult."

Using a buck knife she'd gotten off a raider, Cathy scraped the goo off her arm. It dripped down onto her exposed skin, causing boils and pain where it made contact. She hissed and used some of her water bottle to wash it off. Remembering her medical training she felt luck water helped.

She glanced up at Bryan who held more bug innards. He stared at the water gleaming on her arm. "You shouldn't waste water like that."

"I can do whatever I want," Cathy said. "I'm an adult, remember?"

"Sure you are, lady," Bryan grinned. "You're a vaulty, so is your brother. He told me. Don't worry lady; I know how to cook Bloatfly."

"Is that what you call those nasty bugs?"

"Bloatflies, yep." He nodded to drive in the point. The word 'bug' seemed to shake him but he quickly brushed past it. "Smell like crap, don't taste much better, but I can make them alright."

"What would I do without you?"

"Get beaten up by a Bloatfly," Bryan joked. "Or waste more ammo on something you could punch to death. They don't do much damage; just throw a rock or run up and slam 'em with your fist. They'll go down."

"Bryan Wilks, Sage of the Wastes."

She found him funny despite herself. "Oh mighty Swami, may we continue on our way?"

"I had a friend named that." Bryan said, as he jogged alongside Cathy. "Sammy's a good name."

Sighing, Cathy noticed the gas station and took heart in the fact they were close to Megaton. The first thing she planned on doing when she got home would be to visit Doc Church. After that she'd heat up a bath and scrub Bryan until he turned pink. Finally she'd trade the supplies and food in with Moira and chew her out for giving them such an insane assignment. Hopefully Caleb would be back at this point and she could approach him, again, about distracting Moriarty while she hacked the man's terminal.

Morality guided Caleb's decision-making but Cathy made a vow to herself about doing things "in a way that would keep her alive." Looking down at the soot covering Bryan's face, she felt something funny tugging at her gut. The black char marks made her feel uneasy and she wished Caleb would be less forthright. If she were going to Grayditch she'd run into the town, oversee the situation, and get out. He would have to fix it.

She assumed he knew this about her and sent her back to Megaton because of it. Still, why would he get himself killed for people he didn't know? Where was the logic of that? These people didn't look out for anyone but themselves and Caleb should do the same. Thinking on it she decided this might be why people liked him more than her.

11

No matter where Cathy slept she'd wake up with Bryan next to her-shivering. She'd bought a heart shaped bed from Moira and a few strings of Christmas lights. She refused the chandelier that came with the bed, as little boys didn't need to see two glowing people fucking. She assumed Bryan would be fine up in her room and she didn't mind the lack of privacy. Alone time rarely happened in the vault.

Bryan seemed pleased with the situation. She bought him a few toys and he placed them around her room with great care. Yet the past few mornings she woke up next to a little boy curled up in a ball, clutching her arm. She sighed when she looked over at him and in response he'd whimper and grip her tighter.

"Might as well make breakfast," she'd say.

In the kitchen she'd cut open an egg, from something called a Mirelurk. A pair of rusty scissors helped her slice through the top of the leathery thing and next she'd stick a metal skewer inside and stir up the contents.

She'd discovered these delicacies at The Brass Lantern. A cart containing a few dozen eggs had been pulled up to the door when walked past after trading her goods. The eggs were a foot long and looked like they were made of leather. Jenny Stahl plucked one off the cart and held it up to the light. Carefully she turned the egg, pursing her lips as she studied the contents.

Dashing the egg against the counter she glared at the trader. "Tell me I don't have to check this entire shipment to see if it's alive?"

"I'm giving you a good price because of it," he responded.

"I hate killing them," she complained.

The trader didn't care.

"You can grind them up with the shells and charge twice the price for Brahmin feed."

"Unload them," Jenny ordered. "I'll check as I go."

Cathy watched as Jenny drove a knife into the egg she'd just checked and pulled out a small, squirming, crab-like creature. She lifted up the baby monster, grabbed its legs and dashed its head against the counter with an agonizing, meaty, thwack. Tossing the egg shell and baby crab-thing into a bin by the door, she reached and held the next egg up to the light.

"Do they taste good?" Cathy asked Jenny.

Lifting her eyebrows, Cathy could see Jenny visibly reminded herself she came from a vault. She covered her eyebrows with a goo covered hand and let out a long stream of air.

"The babies taste like shit. At that age you can mix them into cakes, but the customers can tell. They have to be twice that size to be worth it and at that point they are dangerous to handle. The adults are way more aggressive if the babies are about to hatch, so the big ones cost twice the price."

"At least," the man on the cart said. "I get enough cuts and scrapes getting these little fuckers. Not to mention the rad-x I waste digging around in the river."

"I don't pay you to belly ache," Jenny said.

The trader said nothing and handed her another egg. She lifted this one up and turned to place it carefully in another bin.

"What do you do with those?" Cathy asked.

"Cut the top off with some scissors, use a rod to mix up the insides, and fry them up."

"Scrambled eggs," Cathy said. "We had dehydrated eggs in the vault. I bet those taste better."

"I had dehydrated once," Jenny said. "These taste more gamey. Ain't the same animal, after all."

"Did chickens not survive?"

"I don't even know what a chicken is," Jenny sighed. She placed another egg carefully in the bin before returning to the cart.

"So how much for two fresh eggs?"

Jenny looked up from the lamp and looked at Cathy through disheveled hair.

"One ain't gonna cost you as much as my cookin' but it still ain't cheap. Here I mix them with some Brahmin cheese and whatever fresh shit the traders bring in. Ain't half bad."

"I thought that kid might enjoy a fresh breakfast," Cathy said.

"The price of one egg makes feeding two people reasonable," Jenny said. "You'll have leftovers, but when that brother of yours gets back one'll feed three just fine. They go bad fast after you cut the top of them."

"I'll buy three," Cathy said. Jenny bobbed her head and pulled two off the cart. She held them up to the light, then fetched a third.

In the kitchen, Cathy held the egg she'd just opened in her hand, the hot plate she cooked on warming up beside her. She couldn't cook a lot on the small, round surface, and she had to wait for it to get fairly hot. She treated the Mirelurk egg like an omelet and Bryan didn't seem to mind.

The little boy rose from the bed and stood watching her cook. She shook her head and looked at him. He leaned up and wiped a runny nose across his wrist, causing Cathy to cringe. Sanitation didn't mean much here and she tried not to think about his dirty body next to hers as she slept. Perhaps his father hadn't the time to teach him to not use himself as a tissue, just like he didn't teach Bryan to read.

The plate of eggs sat on a makeshift table. Bryan jumped on the food as soon as she put it down for him. He always ate plenty but years of poverty made him lacking in table manners. She laughed to herself, hardly able to believe she could be considered rich. She lived in a house with holes in it and her power came from ancient fusion batteries stashed around the place.

The boy licked the runny yolk from his plate, causing a disapproving grunt from Cathy. He looked up at her as she politely pushed egg into her mouth and chewed. Whatever he thought, he kept it to himself. Swiftly he ran up the stairs to play with his toys. How quickly he'd abandoned her made Cathy feel as if she didn't exist.

Finishing her meal in silence, Cathy scraped up the remains and walked outside. She'd been leaving Caleb's proportion for the homeless. As she opened the door three beggars came to greet her. When they realized the competition, the people began to pull and shove to get to the plate first.

Surprised by the mob, Cathy dropped the eggs and the people she had meant to feed dove to her feet. They kicked and punched, sucking pieces of egg up from the dirt. She watched in horror as one man ran his finger across her shoe and sucked on it. How could people live like this?

"Bryan," she called, "I'm going to Moriarty's. Stay here."

"Okay," He called back.

He didn't seem to mind being left alone.

Locking the door behind her Cathy looked at the faces of the people she'd just fed. One of them, women, shoved closer. Hand outstretched she begged, "More."

"More," Another bum pleaded.

Swaying on crooked legs, the group flocked around Cathy, who pushed her body towards the stairwell up to her destination. They were begging for other things now, clothing, money, and things to sell. They needed so much and she had so very little. She felt lost in a sea of mouths: please, please, please.

The cold shoulder caused one of them to get angry. The haggard old woman reached forward to snatch Cathy by her arm. Shrieking, Cathy flicked her fingers towards her Laser Pistol and from out of nowhere Lucas Simms appeared. The sheriff-mayor coughed, catching the attention of everyone around him. No words need be exchanged; the crowd lowered their heads and moved away.

"Things 'round here ain't free for a reason," Simms said. "You give the people what they want and they want it all the time."

"Entitled bunch of pricks." Cathy rubbed her arm where the woman had grabbed her. "I'll throw the leftovers away next time."

"Or make them pay you for it," Simms offered. "They won't get so demanding if you want something in return. Don't care if it's a worthless tin can. Take it and nail it over a hole in your house. They won't be so demanding then."

"That kind of power could go to your head," Cathy muttered.

"Could," Simms responded. "Good people keep themselves in check. So I guess that's the real question. Are you a good person, Cathy Irving?"

"Caleb is."

Cathy had no idea why she answered this way. Simms looked satisfied by what she said, yet he didn't go leave.

"I know what your brother can do," he said. "He saved a town from nuclear death, with a promise of nothing more than our thanks. Now he's off in Grayditch, facing God knows what, to save that boy's father. I asked about you, because I don't know what you're really capable of."

"I guess we'll both have to be surprised when we find out." Cathy turned away from Simms.

This conversation ended five minutes ago, the Sheriff-Mayor just hadn't realized it.

"I got my eye on you girl," Simms warned.

"You got your eye on a lot of things."

Dirty looks passed between the two and the sheriff-mayor pushed on. Relief shook Cathy when she realized the conversation wouldn't continue. Picking up her feet she headed towards the bar at the top of the hill, determined to let nothing else distract her.

A little old man in a blue jumper pushed past her humming a patriotic song, "God bless America!" he called out randomly. She felt a sinking rush in her heart and shook her head as she moved away from home, away from Bryan, away from security. She had a mission to complete and neither God, Simms, nor America could stop her.

12

Inside Moriarty's, the whore hadn't woken up and Gob busied himself cleaning the counter. He watched Cathy as she entered; weary of her, despite her glorious brother. Cathy thought the ghoul had more sense than anyone in this place. At the same time she heard Simms's warning ringing around her ears.

"What can I get yah, smooth-skin?" Gob asked.

"Whiskey," Cathy laughed.

She hadn't had the stuff since Burke left. Felt like eternity.

"Nuka-cola chaser?" Gob inquired. "Kind of early to drink, if you don't mind my saying."

"I just want to smell it," Cathy said. "It reminds me of someone."

Gob raised his eyebrow. "Tall, used to be dark haired and handsome?"

"Something like that," Cathy responded.

The ghoul bobbed his head as he reached under the counter to fetch her drink. Instinctively, his fingers wandered to the radio, static filled the signal but a voice came across faintly. Cutting in and out, she didn't glean anything at first.

"A visitor from vault 101," Came over the static.

Jumping out of her chair in response, Cathy grabbed the radio and held it closer to her face. She tried desperately to hear what he said, but the announcer faded out.

"Two other people came out of that vault, listeners." Static.

"Now back to." Hiss.

Setting the radio down, she turned on Gob. He stepped back instinctively, his eyes wide. In this moment she knew Moriarty struck him, regularly. This annoyed her but she tried to put it out of her mind.

"What's he talking about on the radio? Is it my dad?"

"Probably," Moriarty's voice shouted from the stairwell. "You vaulties been the talk of the town. By now I'm sure the whole Wasteland is buzzing about the three of you. Too bad you have to feed that brat and can't give me the money I need for information."

"If you were a kind man, you'd give us the information for free," she responded.

"If you were worthy of my kindness, you wouldn't have wasted your time spreading your legs for Burke and sought out more profitable pastures."

With these words Moriarty pulled two envelopes out of his coat and set them on the table. Cathy noticed they were addressed to her. As she looked up, she could see Moriarty had been watching her carefully, relishing in every, worried second.

"You didn't read, them did you?"

"The sanctity of the post is something I hold dear," he responded. "I did send word back, with the second one, that you were fine and staying in your brother's house."

"Why didn't you give these to me immediately," Cathy demanded.

"To sweeten the pot, sunshine."

Leaning over the bar, Moriarty seemed more weasely than normal. His attempt at extortion made Cathy's trigger finger itchy and she wondered how mad Simms would be if she blew the son of a bitch away.

"Three hundred caps," Moriarty announced. "This will give you information on your dad and the release of your letters. Not a penny more, not a penny less."

"You're an asshole," Cathy said.

She stood and moved away from Moriarty, who took her untouched drink and downed it like water. Ready to resume working, he flipped off the radio and unlocked the door to his office before slipping inside. That he hadn't bothered to acknowledge her cursing him made Cathy all the madder.

She lifted up her foot, her hands in fists, and took a step towards his office. A female voice stopped her. "Don't bother."

Spinning around to see a freshly washed Nova walking down the stairs, Cathy fumed. Hatred lifted her finger to say something but Nova stepped forward and closed the finger back against her fist. Next she grabbed Cathy by the neck and pulled her towards the stairs.

In hushed tones she told her, "If you open that door, the cost will double. He wants you in his debt, don't give that to him."

"I want what's mine and I want to know where my dad is."

Sighing, Nova looked over to Gob, whose eyes encouraged her to go on. Redirecting her attention back to Cathy she smiled a calloused and fiery smile.

"Look, this is how it starts. He has some use for you, so he's going to make you so crazy you do something desperate. Then he'll fuck you and you won't even know it until he's done and you're wiping his jiz off your ass. Don't give in."

Unable to construct something to rebut Nova, Cathy stood in place and sulked. She hated feeling like a fool and that seemed to be all that happened when she came to this place. At least she Stahls were nice.

"You know Gob's a slave," Nova said.

"He is?" This alarmed Cathy. She looked at the Ghoul with a new level of horror. The way he couldn't look her in the eye confirmed it.

"What kind of world has slavery in it?"

"Slavery isn't the worst of it," Nova said. "Drug addiction, torture, murder, brain washing, kidnapping, rape-world filled with a lot of ugly things."

"Forced prostitution," Cathy added.

Needling Nova felt good and Cathy couldn't venture to explain why. Caleb liking her didn't help. The whore turned away from the menacing little brunette and looked at Gob with tears welling up in her eyes. This pouting upset made Cathy feel like shit.

"Don't let her get to you, Red," Gob offered.

Steeping out from behind the bar he tucked a towel over his shoulder and let Nova rest her cheek against it. The gesture seemed very intimate and Cathy felt confused by it.

"She doesn't know what she's saying." Gob spoke into Nova's hair. "We both know you're better than this."

"She's right," Nova gulped. She pushed back from the ghoul and straightened her shirt.

"I wouldn't write home to mom about anything I do here. I'm just like Gob though, only without the conditioning to stay here. Moriarty saves our wages in a box, wears the key around his neck. I hear he has a spare in his room, but I can't pick locks for shit. He says someday we'll earn enough to buy our freedom, but neither of us knows how much is in that box."

"Or what the price of freedom is," Gob added.

He returned to polishing glasses and couldn't look at either woman now. "I'm sure he'll be long dead before I'm free again."

"Why did my brother save this town?" Cathy asked herself. Unfortunately Nova overheard.

"I don't know," She said. "Guess he's better than you or me."

"I'm a good person," Cathy insisted.

She felt desperate to prove this for once. Gallant Caleb, charging in and winning everyone's hearts, she couldn't take it anymore. Desperate for a way to prove her worth, she searched her head for a gesture that would demonstrate how good she could be. The answer felt so obvious she wondered if the radiation made her dumb.

"I'll get the key."

"How will you do that?"

Nova chuckled. "I've fucked Moriarty a plenty and even I can't lift it off him."

"You said there is a copy upstairs."

"Good luck getting to it," Nova said. "We don't even know where it is."

"I'll find it."

Feeling resolute, she psyched herself up. She could make these people's lives better and prove herself in the process.

"You're crazy," Nova shouted as Cathy started upstairs.

At the end of the hall lay a half opened door. She pushed inside and immediately knew it belonged to Moriarty. The place smelled of old booze, piss, and him. His sweat permeated into ancient bed clothes that had not been washed in this lifetime.

Slowly, she crept around the room, overhearing the whispering of Nova and Gob below.

He said, "I'll warn her, Moriarty won't know. He's to absorbed in his computer."

Nova responded, "I dunno, Gob."

Cathy pushed down a lump in her throat, and looked around the room. An old cupboard stood in front of her and she looked inside the glass to see if anything seemed promising. On the far side sat an ammo box with a lock on it. Something inside her churned at the sight of the box and she pulled the round knob on the cabinet.

Locked.

"Fuck," she hissed.

Cathy leaned down and peeked at the lock. She had seen these before and even unhinged a few during her time in the vault. She had always been dexterous with her hands and felt certain she could conquer this thing, if she had the right tools.

Looking around the room she found a rusty screwdriver. She'd need something else and while she looked for it she began to panic. Patting down her pockets, she scanned every surface, and at long last dropped to the floor to see what could be found.

Under the dresser she spotted a long lock of red hair. A pony tail matching Nova's color had been thrown under the cabinet and kicked around so it dispersed across the floor. Cathy leaned in and ran her fingers through it, pulling lint out of it and wondering why it wound up Moriarty's floor. Stroking it caused a metal bar to hit her finger and she pulled out a clump of red surrounding an old bobby pin.

"Eureka."

Splitting the bobby pin in two, Cathy jammed it into the lock and listened for it to slide home in the mechanism. It took a few seconds of finagling before she had it in well enough to use the screw driver to turn the lock. She had to be extra careful not to leave a metal gouge as a clue.

The cabinet creaked when it opened and Cathy leaned towards the door to see if she'd been discovered. Gob began to hum afterward and Moriarty yelled "Cut that shit out, you know how much I hate it."

"Sorry, boss," Gob responded.

Patriotic music started on the radio. Cathy felt grateful to the Ghoul for hiding her crime. Unwilling to take any further risk, she reached out and grabbed the ammo box. The contents shook inside and she listened, again, to see if the sound alerted Moriarty.

When nothing but music echoed up through the floor, she set the ammo box on a side table and began to pick its lock. The security on the box proved more challenging than the cabinet, and sweat formed on Cathy's upper lip as she slowly coaxed the mechanism to the side. Wrong again. Wrong again. Wrong again.

Doubt settled into Cathy's brain. Perhaps she couldn't succeed at this. Maybe they were right; Caleb was all around better and more capable than her. She hated herself for thinking that but even more she hated Megaton with its whores, beggars and belligerent bar owners.

Right before she gave up, the bobby pin slid home and the screwdriver guided the lock around to the side. A small ticking sound filled her ears as she opened the lid and looked at the miscellaneous contents. Jewelry, caps, old electronic components, and finally two keys emerged.

Pocketing the keys and gently closing the ammo box, Cathy heard the door to Moriarty's office open. In a panic she shoved the box back in its place, and closed the cabinet. Shutting the door caused a click, letting her know he'd rigged it to look with closure. Complete, Cathy burst out of Moriarty's room and looked over the banner.

The bastard stood behind the bar, immediately looking up at her with questioning eyes.

"You lied to me, Nova," Cathy said.

She sounded pissed off. The anger fueled itself in memory of Moriarty's extortion. "This isn't the bathroom."

On cue, Nova began to laugh hysterically. Moriarty looked at his employee with disdain and pushed her to the side. This shut Nova up, making the whore look up for some sign of her fate.

"Bathroom is for paying customers lass, and I don't see you paying for nothing around here."

"I'd pay if I could pee." Cathy's words were making him madder, and she enjoyed every second of it.

One hand in her pocket, she shoved Moriarty as she walked passed him. He spun around like a possessed devil, which made Nova chuckle.

"I should slap you for lying to me," Cathy growled at her. "Maybe you want to fight me."

Shoving her chest against the red head's, Cathy slipped the keys from her pocket into Nova's. The whore looked at her with confusion, having felt the contents of her pocket shift. As Cathy stepped back she could see Gob noticed the interaction and appeared to be unnerved by it.

"I don't fight with children," Nova countered. A little too late, but it seemed convincing.

A nagging thought tickled the back of Cathy's brain. Perhaps Moriarty had noticed the exchange and she turned to watch his face for a sign of her fate. The bar owner seemed glib and frustrated like normal. He had no clue she'd just stolen the keys to both of his employees freedom. Too bad he was still all riled up.

"Miss Irving," Moriarty said, "I'm going to have to ask you to leave my establishment and not come back for twenty four hours. I think you need some time to cool down. If you decide to defy me, I'll raise the price on your precious information to more than three hundred and fifty caps."

"Fuck you," Cathy spat and happily turned to walk out the door.

As she headed towards the railing, she heard shouting from inside the bar and Nova quickly ran outside. A slap landed across Cathy's cheek but she shrugged it off, knowing it had to be for show. Sadly her face hurt for it. The redhead grabbed her by the collar and pulled her close. Beyond Nova's shoulder, Cathy could see Moriarty go back inside the bar.

"You bitch," Nova yelled for show.

"Slut," Cathy barked.

"Thank you so much. I owe you my life."

"Make it a good one," Cathy said.

Letting go of Cathy's collar, Nova settled back on her heals. The two women held dangerous smiles in the crook of their lips.

"I think I'll stay here the night. At midnight Colin will be too drunk to stay awake. I'll lure him up to his room and keep him busy for an hour. That should give you enough time to hack his terminal, right?"

"More like ten minutes." Cathy tried sound outraged. A few people seemed to buy it and slowed their pace to see if a cat fight would erupt. A few seconds later they seemed disappointed and moved on.

"I don't want you to have to do that."

"A little extra money won't hurt me," Nova said. "Ain't nothing I hadn't done before, anyways. Might work freelance, see if the Stahls will have me down stairs. We'll see."

"Don't let him hurt Gob." Cathy had no idea why she cared but it seemed right to show concern.

"That's a promise I can't keep."

Having finished their conversation she pushed Cathy away from her violently. This forced her to stumble backwards and almost fall of the rail. "Looks like that shitty brother of yours is back."

Looking towards the entrance, Cathy noticed the light shining through the gates. Caleb had returned, covered in soot and pissed acting.

"Where is the Brian's dad?" She asked Nova.

This couldn't be good.


	5. Chapters 13-15

13

_He lost his dad just like we did. I got an aunt in Rivet City. We can't leave him alone, Cathy. I'm sorry Bryan, your dad's dead. Ants, everywhere, Ants. I can be strong for my pop. I can't stand the thought of Dad thinking we abandoned some kid who needed us. They were spitting fire. Mom's been gone for years now. We'll find him, I promise. Some madman made them, he didn't think they'd spit fire. I don't remember my aunt but she's all I got. Dad needs our help, I know it._

Everything seemed louder than normal and this felt especially true at night. She knocked back part of the bottle of vodka and waited near Moriarty's back door. She'd heard Nova working him over. Sound traveled through the walls sometimes, making nothing private in this world. It felt similar to the vault, only people pretended like they could keep secrets. At some point Nova would signal Cathy to come in and she'd act like she hadn't heard him barrage her with cruel words and threats.

A bar scuffle drew the attention of most patrons and two bruised men were ejected out onto the night. Broken noses and bloodied egos. Gob shouted at someone to clean the mess but where Moriarty lurked, Cathy had no idea. After the commotion died down Nova peaked her head out the back.

"Make a hurry of it."

Cathy moved into the storage room, past Nova, and set her bottle next to the computer monitor. Pulling the keyboard down from the screen, she typed as fast as she could. Obvious to anything but the machine she failed to notice she'd said nothing to Nova since she entered. The red head picked up the vodka and sniffed it. Inspecting the label, her lip curled.

"Remember to take this out," she said. "Colin will know it's not his rot gut. We water it down."

"I knew it," Cathy grumbled.

Selecting the first password on the screen she cussed when it didn't take.

"Heard the kid don't got a dad no more," she said.

Crossing her legs, the prostitute leaned against the door frame as she looked down at Cathy. The light behind her passed through her hair, making it look like fire. Her cheeks grew sharp with the shadow and she looked stunning as she stood on the edge of darkness. She cursed as she missed another password and had to reboot the terminal to avoid getting locked out.

"He won't leave the kid until we find him someone to stay with."

"Caleb won't?" Nova sounded impressed.

Cathy cussed again, partly at the computer and partly at Nova for being such a sap.

"Yep, Caleb. It's been nearly a week since we left the vault. God only knows what has happened to Dad."

"Soon you'll have a trail."

Sweet lips parted and pearly teeth showed through. Nova somehow avoided looking as busted up as everyone else in town. She moved back and little pinpricks of light played across her nose, like reverse freckles.

The computer beeped, accepting the password Cathy selected, and she laughed.

"Rotten asshole."

"What was the password?" Nova asked.

"Saloon," Cathy said.

She looked up at Nova who chuckled.

"He's real fucking full of himself."

"You're getting out of here now, right?"

Moving back as if she'd been struck, Nova bit her lip and looked over her shoulder at something. Maybe Gob? When she turned back Nova shrugged and looked up at the ceiling.

"I don't know where I'd go. Once a whore always a whore but not every community is friendly."

"You've got enough money to start over in another town, right?"

Continuing to talk, Cathy moved the mouse over the entry that read: James. She could see Nova shift in the doorway, taking a step inside and obscuring the lamps burning in the bar.

"There are a dozen little towns between here and the Commonwealth," she began. "Each one has fucked up people in it. Some of them make Colin look like a saint, some of them are just waiting till raiders overrun them. Most aren't near as secure as Megaton."

"So find a little town you like."

"Megaton's home," Nova said. "Ain't nowhere else on earth that will be like here. I can look and look. Hell, I tried to stay in a dozen little towns, but my heart will always be here."

Grabbing the vodka, Cathy took a swig and offered some to her companion. The redhead accepted the bottle, polishing off the last bit. Cathy hooked her Pip-Boy up to the terminal and avoided Nova's gaze while she downloaded all of Colin's "dirt" on the town. Something itched at the back of her mind and she wondered if the booze made her feel bold because she had a burning question to ask.

"You're in love with him?"

"Can't help it."

A confession surprised Cathy, especially one coming so easy.

"I guess I felt it most when I first came here," Nova continued. "Colin seemed like a dream. He can be really wonderful but before I knew it he had me fucking the whole town for cash. Kept telling me it was a favor, then he framed me for some theft and I owed him. Now he barely touches me and never says nothing kind or sweet."

The data transfer finished but Cathy leaned back to stare at the woman in front of her. She didn't eat enough, you could tell by the hollow look in her cheeks and gut. Her skin had a yellow tint that spoke to future liver failure and her eyes were a million years old. Still, she had a surreal glory all her own. More than anyone she'd ever met, Nova owned the moment in time she inhabited, her entire being capturing you with her charms. To some she seemed cheap but a few minutes with her showed you a complexity forged in denial and banality.

"You can leave him and you should."

"I worry about Gob," Nova said.

She parted her hands like a confession but Cathy knew it for an excuse. Leaving Moriarty meant welcoming danger and the unknown. The devil you do vs. the devil you don't. Yet staying with him meant death, something Nova would lie to herself about until the day Moriarty put her down.

"I guess it's fair to worry about Gob."

Cathy sounded blank, and she didn't care. She couldn't understand this woman, refused to empathize with how weak she seemed. Certainly she'd spent the last week grasping at straws but she believed that in the end even Megaton couldn't hold her down.

"Sometimes he beats him really bad," Nova sputtered. "I worry Gob won't wake up some mornings. I mean, he very rarely hits me and when he does I usually deserve it. I'm not a very good employee. Some nights I forget to come down and stack the chairs or I'm not kind enough to the customers."

Looking over her shoulder Cathy tried to tell her brain that she had her own problems, to stay out of this. Caleb would be mad enough at how she got the information and he'd try to go off alone while she watched the brat kid. Still the way Nova said these things, the belief combined with defeat in her eyes caused something to boil inside. Best of all, this revulsion brought a clarity she wouldn't have without it.

"We have to go into D.C." Cathy sighed. "You could watch the kid for us while we track down my dad and then his aunt in Rivet City. It'll pay good money if you stay in the house and make sure he's clean and fed."

Drawing out the "I" in "Shit," Nova let the word roll before continuing.

"Your dad's in D.C.? That means you'll have to go in past the Supermutants and raiders. Where did it say he's going?"

"GNR."

"Even worse."

Patting her palms against the doorway, Nova looked out into the saloon.

"You're avoiding the question," Cathy said.

Twisting out of Cathy's sight, Nova reached for something before settling back in the door. She seemed afraid, yet withdrawn at the same time. At the same time Cathy could sense her considering it.

"I'd do it, but I'm afraid if I leave, Colin will take it out on Gob. I'd feel terrible if something happened to the guy. As long as Colin's alive, I have to be here."

Pursing her lips as she exchanged looks with Nova, Cathy began to realize what needed to happen. Her dad was in the one area she and her brother had vowed to stay out of. Nothing would stop Caleb from going after his father, especially with the need to go to Rivet City weighing heavily on his heart. Now this mess with Nova was making helping Caleb harder on her.

A solution stood at the tips of her fingers but the man who had hindered her from the start showed no sign of stopping. He ruled over his employees with a terrible force, making two people live in abject fear of him. Worse yet they had no means of freedom. The outside world could swallow two people up as easy as Moriarty could hold them in subjection until the end of their days.

"What was in the box?" Cathy asked.

"What?"

"The box that held your money."

Visibly uncomfortable, Nova's eyelashes flicked back tears. Seeing such a strong woman breakdown fortified Cathy's resolve.

"Nothing."

"Maybe that's the solution," Cathy said.

"What is?" Nova asked.

"Just stay downstairs.

"What are you going to do?"

Lifting up from her knees, Cathy felt every muscle pull and strain to lift her weight. Relishing this, she took comfort in the factual responses of her body. She could rely on her right knee to pop even if she couldn't depend on anything else. Pushing past Nova she worked her way towards the stairs. The redhead watched mutely as she moved upwards, turning towards Moriarty's room. Cathy knew she'd be too cowardly to stop her.

As she walked the long hall, Cathy asked herself how she would do it. She'd shot the raiders at the grocery and that had been horrible enough, yet she didn't regret their deaths. Sometimes her arm still hurt from the bullet and only then did she hesitate to do what needed to be done.

Understanding this helped, Moriarty is a raider of another color. He grew corrupt and used his power to abuse everyone close to him. He'd have used up Cathy if she'd been more exploitable, selling her and her little red dress to the first interested man-playing her against Nova and using her need for love until her body gave away.

Irregular snoring drifted from his room as she moved into the doorway. She paused and looked behind her to see Nova hovering at the base of the stair. In her mind she pleaded with Nova to stop her but one of the last customers waltzed up and started to talk business. The whore glanced back up at her friend, over to Gob, and escorted the man into another room.

"Close the bar, Gob," Nova said, "And turn up the radio really loud. I want to feel the grove of it."

"Okay, toots," Gob said, "but all we got is that patriotic radio."

"It'll have to do."

Her voice sounded smoky and tired. Cathy couldn't believe she'd been given permission to proceed.

Her palms felt slick as she gripped Moriarty's doorknob. She could smell the green verdigris lining the brass fixture and it made her mouth taste like blood. Pressing the door open, she stepped inside the dark room, and his snoring ceased.

"Shut the door, you filthy cunt," Moriarty barked. "I should beat you like I do Gob."

Carefully, Cathy closed the door. Moriarty motioned for her to hop into bed next to him and she could catch the outline of his arousal in the shadows. He began to unleash his belt and Cathy walked over to stand next to him. She had to think fast. Better if it looks like an accident but she didn't have any poison on her, and nothing in the room would fall easily.

Thick, rope-like fingers closed around her wrist. Cathy flashed back to the night her brother kept yanking on her, as they both fled their home. Instinctively, she pulled herself free and Moriarty became angry.

"I can touch you if I want to touch you," He yelled. "Stupid whore. Gob! Gob! Why is that shitty music so loud?"

His body appeared weak and sweaty in the moonlight that sneaked between the walls. Her medical training identified the signs of habitual alcoholism. The drinking made him reek of old liquor and body odor, and the smell permeated the room. As he snorted and began to play with his semi-hard cock, Cathy grabbed one of the pillows and ignored his protest as his head fell back.

"Just climb on top," he grunted. His lips were drawn so tight they vanished and his eyes were squeezed close. He looked like a mythological snake god and it made her want to finish quickly.

"When we're done make Gob turn down that horrible, presidential shit."

"Okay," She whispered.

As her body wretched in revulsion, Cathy climbed on top of him. She pressed the pillow into his chest, feeling the warm dampness of his sweating body underneath her legs. Fortunately her pants protected her from his cock, frustrating Moriarty to no end.

"Have you forgotten how to fuck? I knew the repeat customers had been slacking off for a reason. Get to it or get off, girl."

He had to be dangerously drunk. How many times did he get like this? If he were dangerous in this state, hopefully Nova would have said something.

While he squirmed against her body, Cathy brought the pillow down on Moriarty's face. At first he laid still, as if he were confused by this turn of events. Then he began to thrash and Cathy dug her knees into his ribs and pushed down harder on the pillow.

Moriarty tried to kick up his legs and shove her off, but his body wasn't too anesthetized. He'd weakened himself with enough watered down whiskey that he couldn't fight her off. She rode his kicks and thrusts, his screams muffled inside the lumpy cloth sack.

At last his protests began to slow. She kept the pillow over his face for some time after. He seemed so still. She tried to feel breath between her thighs, and realized how hard her knees were squeezing into his chest. Unrelenting, she refused to release the clench of her knees while she felt for a pulse. Nothing.

Relaxing her legs felt weird and adrenalin made her ready to fight harder. Willing herself up, she pulled the pillow back with her and looked down at the corpse. He looked strange; his head slumped forward from the lack of support behind it.

Grabbing him by the hair, she set the stained cushion behind his head and repositioned him to look more natural. Whiskey bottles lined the rooms, each in varying levels of fullness. She picked up one with a cork still in it and poured it onto his face for good measure.

No one in Megaton would care enough to inspect how Moriarty had died. They would assume he drank a little too much and died in his sleep. "Went to sleep and never woke up."

Doc Church and Lucas Simms wouldn't give a shit enough to investigate unless someone paid him or made an accusation. The only person who knew is Nova and she wouldn't talk. Truthfully she'd probably saved the whore from having to do it.

Nonchalant, Cathy walked out of the room, down the stairs and tried the front door. She shook the handle a few times, groaning in annoyance. Locked. Nova stood up in the far room, zipping up her pants, her dark eyes shining as she looked towards Cathy. The customer joined Cathy at the door, just in time for Gob to come out of the back.

"I didn't realize you were still here," he said to Cathy.

At the same time, she and Nova made a nervous show of running their fingers through their hair.

"She had some business with me," Nova lied.

"Tell me you're not hooking," He said to Cathy. "It would break your brother's heart."

"Nah," Cathy said. "Offering Nova a babysitting job is all."

Fibbing made Cathy fidgety and she knew how easy to see through she could be. The customer had to be the only one who didn't notice she was full of shit. She looked over at Gob and could see him about to call her on it, when Nova stepped forward.

"Maybe Megaton owes Caleb, but you and I owe Cathy."

Before she said another word, Nova unlocked the door for her customer. He stepped out with a friendly nod. He'd mind his own business because he didn't want trouble. Like everyone in this town, he'd prove unjust.

"Explain yourself," Gob admonished. "_We_ should get this out of the way before we wake the boss."

"Remember when you told me if Moriarty died you'd take over the bar and turn a profit? You told me you'd let me go. See to it I didn't have to hook no more."

"Yeah I remember," Gob said. He seemed strangely sad as he looked at Nova. His eyes combed for something he'd never see. Each orb begged an intensity that made Cathy glad it hadn't been turned on her.

"So maybe we owe Cathy for our future."

"You told me she stole the key to our money boxes. They were empty. We don't have anything."

"Jesus, Gob," Nova cursed. She wrung her hands and looked desperate for a way to tell him without making him upset. "I know there wasn't anything in those boxes. He lied to us. He'd have burn the bar to the ground before he set either of us free."

"You keep talking about him in the past tense."

With these words Cathy looked down at the ground and felt shame. She didn't care about killing Moriarty, but explaining it to Gob felt painful. A good man, Gob stood out in this den of hopelessness, and he'd never understand why someone had to die to save him.

When she looked at Nova she knew she'd done the right thing. Optimism existed where resignation lived before. She seemed alive for the first time since Cathy met her and it forced pride in where shame had been.

"Cathy talked to him about giving us a real future," Nova said. "I think she got through. Starting tomorrow our lives will be better."

"Did he agree to give us our money?" Gob asked.

Brilliance came from Gob's cloudy eyes and both women knew what they had to tell Gob. A look between them confirmed it. Putting her hand on Nova's shoulder, Cathy stood forward, a fake smile breaking through her fretting.

"Yeah, he did," Cathy said. "I had to sleep with him to get him to agree but he said he'd give you guys your money. Fucker was drunk as shit though, I'll make sure he keeps to his word and doesn't pretend he forgot."

"I wish you hadn't done that," Gob said.

His look broke Cathy's heart. Guilt would plague him for awhile but the alternative would smash him to pieces. She didn't need to ask; Nova would swoop in with sugar words and make sure no one ever found out the truth. The woman cared too much about Gob to ruin what they had.

"What's done is done," She said.

She needed out of here now. Gob and Nova were too painful to stay with.

"It's how he lured Nova in Cathy," Gob pleaded. He stepped forward from the bar and embraced her, a sob in his throat. "Dozens of girls have been pulled in by his cunning ways. They aren't here anymore 'cause when they try to leave he kills them. Promise me you'll leave the bar and won't come back. Promise me for the sake of your brother."

"I won't come back until you're the owner of the bar," Cathy vowed.

"Promise," Gob begged.

"Promise." Cathy whispered.

She turned to meet the door, bumping Nova as she went. Outside she looked up at the stars and sighed. Reaching into her pocket she pulled out the key to Burke's house and considered staying in his bed. Being alone sounded good.

The door behind her opened and Nova stepped out. Standing still, refusing to look back, Cathy kept her eyes on the heavens.

"Glad I caught you. I'll watch him but you can't pay me for it."

"Who?" Cathy asked.

"The little boy."

Shaking her head, Cathy laughed at the foolishness of her friend. "We should pay you. He's a kid. Ain't easy to watch."

"I had a little brother when I came up. Your ward ain't half the trouble. Gob will hire me as a bartender, let me stay upstairs. I'll keep Bryan with me and he can play while I work. It'll be fine. He's a good kid, he'll adjust."

"Let me leave you some money for his care," Cathy said.

"I'll give you that much," She said, "But I won't take anything else."

"Thanks, Nova."

The Milky Way swirled above. The uncountable stars offered a promise blocked to mankind and Cathy regretted the bombs had stopped humanity from exploring space. This seemed more comforting than exploring the mixed feelings she had about committing murder. She'd done the right thing. It had to be the right thing to do. The reasons she had killed kept playing over in her head and she let them comfort her.

As she breathed out again, she realized Nova stood behind her still. Cathy took a few steps towards home and stopped. She could hear small footsteps following. She imagined it hard to go back in; knowing the corpse of her lover rotted a few rooms down.

"What happened to him?" Cathy asked.

"Who?"

"Your little brother."

A long silence made Cathy aware of the tiny sounds of Megaton after dark. Drunks ambling down the metal rails, chants from the Sons of Atom, people washing dishes a few doors down, a dog howling somewhere, and loudest of all, Nova breathing through her nose.

"We moved to this little town," Nova said at last. "Thought we'd be safe. Thought we'd have a home and wouldn't need to move no more. Mom and dad had gone years before and we were gonna take care of each other."

Cathy said nothing.

"Raiders came-"

Nothing else needed to be said and Cathy started down the rails to home. She stepped faster than she should, stomping her boots on the roofs of people's homes. It didn't matter if she woke the people inside; their suffering meant nothing to this life. At least they could wake up and feel something; the owner of the saloon couldn't say that anymore.

Slamming the door to her brother's house, she met a pair of angry eyes at the top of the stairs.

"I'm not even going to ask where you've been," He scolded.

Sometimes his face consisted of a cruel tick, which normally caused her behave timidly. Sometimes it felt like he wanted power over her for his own ends and she never allowed him to express what he really wanted. Tonight she couldn't handle his pissed-off bullfrog act. She'd had enough of shit for one lifetime and he needed to back off.

"Dad went to GNR to speak with Three Dog," She blurted.

"How do you know that?"

"I know it," She said, "And now you do, too. In the morning I'm going to leave Bryan with Nova and head out to D.C. You can stay and start a family with Nova or you can come with me."

"I knew it. You hacked that terminal. When you left after dinner I knew you were up to no good. You're a cheat, Cathy. If you don't do the things the right way it'll catch up to you and even I won't be able to save you. Didn't you ever listen to Dad?"

She screamed at him. "Dad left us to rot in a vault."

"So what?" Caleb yelled back. "We don't get to be morally bankrupt now that we are away from him. He raised us to be good people, not sneaky thieves."

Settling down into the heart-shaped bed; Cathy pulled the blanket over her head and prayed for Caleb to shut up. She could hear him pacing on the balcony overhead. They had to have woken Bryan. The poor kid had probably curled himself into a ball and started crying when he heard them.

Finally Caleb yelled down to her. "Fine, we'll talk about this in the morning."

His door slammed. Cathy sighed and thanked God she would be able to get some sleep before hiking out to D.C. Before she could drift off to sleep another door opened and closed. Little feet made their way down the stairs and soon Bryan had cuddle up next to her.

"For fuck's sake," she groaned.

"Don't be sick anymore, Mommy," he muttered already asleep.

"What?"

Her heart melted as she looked over at his pale face.

"Don't leave me," he whined.

His head burrowed into her stomach and Cathy let and idle hand rub against his back. If the little boy had any idea what she'd been up to, he wouldn't be so close. A whimper came from Bryan and she sighed again. Her life had been growing progressively more fucked since she left the vault and didn't show any sign of easing up. She closed her eyes and tried to make her body sleep, telling her brain things would be better in the morning.

A wet spot formed on her side and she realized they were Brian's tears. Even if things weren't better in the morning, at least she knew where to look for Dad, and wouldn't have to sleep with a simpering child next to her. Between the gaps in the ceiling a light from the gate seeped in and illuminated a battery held to the wall with wire.

As sleep began to overtake her, Cathy remembered Nova saying Megaton had become home to her. A home so dear she couldn't ever leave it. Considering this caused a pang in her heart. The place had its rusty, rotten charm and she too had started a new life here.

A smile graced her lips for a moment as Bryan moved his arm across her stomach and squeezed her. Poor little boy, he needed a kindness the world would never show him. She moved her free arm to rustle his hair again and felt something stiff against her chest. Opening her jacket she pulled out two envelopes with her name on them. Burke's letters, Nova must have slipped them in.

Catching the light from the gate on the edge of the Envelope, she traced the edge of a cursive Y. He had the penmanship of a Victorian gentleman, fitting somehow. Bryan kicked at the sheets and she put the letters back in her pocket. She didn't want to disturb the little boy this late. Better to read the letters later, when she needed them more.

14

Everyone gathered in the middle of town to say good-bye to Moriarty. He lay on a slab of sheet metal, with his arms crossed over his chest. A bottle cap had been placed on each eye, and to Cathy's amusement someone had zipped his fly back up. The people from The Children of Atom came and poured onto his forehead, radioactive water from the puddle at the base of the bomb. Nova and Gob stood at his head, the ghoul's arm wrapped around the crying woman in a gesture of gentle protection. No one said a word.

A quiet glance passed between Nova and Cathy when they saw each other in the crowd. Gob didn't notice, too absorbed in offering her a shoulder to cry on. To her surprise no tears stained either face. Caleb had noticed the interaction between the two but chose to ignore it. Simms seemed more concerned with a safe procession to the burial spot.

Hoisting a laser rifle offer her shoulder, Cathy looked around the town and wondered if she'd ever see it again. Ugly, but she'd miss it. The twins followed the funeral procession out of town; their heads hung low out of respect. Curiosity prompted Cathy to wait for the burial, wondering how they disposed of bodies. In the vault they had a furnace through which humans and refuse passed to the other world.

The line of people swung through the desert, down to the abandoned buildings near the vault entrance. The Sheriff-Mayor, Lucas Simms, jogged ahead of everyone and used a key to open a manhole leading to the gas tanks under the service station. Black flies belched out in lonely swarms. It made Cathy ill to think about rotting down there with other bodies. When she smell hit her she prayed someone would set her on fire and spare her flesh the fate.

Just like in town, no one said a word in memory of the man. The silence seemed more poignant of a reminder, because what act of charity could excuse the barbarism of Colin Moriarty? Cathy wanted to ask if funerals were always so silent but didn't have the courage.

It was Nova who finally ended the whole thing. "Rot well you old bastard."

After that the stiff, bloated body of Colin Moriarty slid down into the old gas tank. A squishy thud came when he hit the ground, more flies' swarmed out and Simms sealed the lid back on. With this final clang of metal, the mourners walked back to their homes.

Moving in the opposite direction, the twins didn't speak either but for different reasons. They had been fighting since daybreak and both had grown tired of it. Caleb had finally seen the wisdom of letting Bryan stay with Nova but only under the condition she stay in the house. He'd convinced her Gob could rent the spare rooms in the Saloon, generating more income for the two of them.

The idea appealed to Nova, so long as she had a bed to go back to when she needed it. The little boy only cried, unable to deal with the strain of being separated from more people. His only comfort had been the promise to find his aunt. After that they'd walked downstairs to follow the mourners out of the city.

Miles passed fast and soon the burned out remains of the supermarket became visible. Caleb made a disgusted noise when it came into view and moved away from his sister. Ignoring his actions, Cathy spotted movement near some of the rocks and convinced him to side step the road for a few paces.

When they reached the end of the road, looking down the Potomac and into the ruins of D.C., Cathy scanned the horizon for a sign of the trouble Nova warned her about. The place seemed like a tomb, inviting the foolish to come inside. The skeletal remains of great buildings swayed in the wind, sending creaking groans faintly across the running water. She tried to steady her hand, telling herself courage would keep her alive.

She thought about Moriarty again, the feeling of smothering him with his pillow coming back to her. It hadn't upset her exactly but she couldn't stop thinking about it either. She felt powerful stopping an evil man. Yet the sight of his dead face remained in the back of her mind, haunting her every footstep. Sometimes she felt certain he'd survived, relief coming only when his body fell into the pit.

As if they had a psychic bond, Caleb looked at his sister and asked, "Did you do it?"

"Did I do what?"

"Kill Colin Moriarty."

Striking Cathy in the gut with her question, she moved her hand over her stomach and pulled it back. When nothing manifested other than a dull ache she glanced out over the waters and back at her brother. A grim scowl had settled over his features since Grayditch, and she couldn't manage to ask why. His poor demeanor made everything harder.

"Why do you think I did it?"

"That look Nova gave you," he said. "You both were in on it and the idea of traveling with a murderer makes me sick. What's worse is I really thought Nova was a good person. I guess a day alone with you will prove me wrong every time."

"You were a moral man when you put a bullet in those raiders' heads?" Cathy asked.

He burned with a crimson fire at those words. The flames started in his shoulders and the tension in his body shook them to the top of his head.

"I did that to stay alive."

"I did what I had to do to save Nova and Gob."

"I don't see how killing Moriarty helped them," Caleb scoffed.

Wanting her brother to stop hurting her, Cathy looked to the horizon for anything else to talk about. Fortune shrank away at this moment and the world around them remained calm. She pressed her hands into a fist and granted him this explanation only once.

"He was going to keep beating Gob and extorting money from the both of them. Someone had to stop him. Nova couldn't do it because she's weak. Gob couldn't do it because he's too good."

"I guess that makes you bad," Caleb said. "I can't believe we're related. I'd have never done something like that. I'd have made Moriarty see the error of his ways."

"You can't make people like that see anything. I cleaned up Ms. Johnson in the Vault enough times to know that. Sorry you were too busy playing hero-guard-boy to notice her black eyes."

"You're wrong." Spoken like a prayer made to ward off evil.

Shaking with anger, Cathy stuck her finger in her brother's face.

"Saying I'm wrong doesn't make you right. I did what I had to do-the only thing that would work."

"And a man is dead because of it."

Too stubborn to admit they were wrong, brother and sister stood on the edge of the bridge, glaring off into nothing. They situated themselves on uneasy feet, trying to draw some logic into the situation. Cathy could see Caleb switch on the radio in his Pip-Boy and felt frustrated by how easily he could distract himself.

"They are talking about us," Caleb said.

He reached out and caught her Pip-boy in his hands. He flipped the dial and selected Galaxy New Radio before she could protest. The vibration of the machine's radio feature resonated up her arm and straight into her skull. She felt her whole body buzz with the sounds of the radio and almost vomited at the shock.

Radio sickness affected a small percentage of Pip-Boy owners and Cathy had an extra dose. During special announcements in the Vault she'd have to sit in a room with a woman who chewed on her hair. Why the speakers didn't work for these special bulletins, she'd never know. Caleb knew how ill the radio made her and his turning the switch on her arm felt like a punishment.

Looking at her brother with her wounds showing, she caught the DJ saying something about the Hero of Megaton defusing the bomb. When he reached the part where Caleb saved Bryan Wilks from death, all by himself while she'd stayed home to nurse the boy, she wanted to dick-punch her brother. Next an announcement about Moriarty's death went on air and she turned off the radio.

Seeing her flip the switch made Caleb grow more hostile.

"Can't live with it can you?"

"You're the one who can't live with it."

Placing his hand over his heart, the loathing in him changed to condescension. It ripped at her, cutting away the parts of her that stored up compassion.

"I can forgive you," he said. "I _will_ forgive you, if you ask me. I'll also keep it a secret from dad. After all, you thought you were doing the right thing. He'll never see that and I can't stand to break his heart."

Bile grew in her throat at the idea of apologizing to Caleb. Stepping forward to smack the smugness off him, the memory of Moriarty's dead body flooded back into her vision, and she grew cold. His death seemed so gross and pathetic and she did feel sorry she'd been a part of it.

Not for the reasons Caleb demanded, she looked at her brother and said, "I'm sorry."

"I forgive you," he grinned. "Is that hard? Now let's go find Dad."

Cathy nodded and stepped over the bridge with him. Large pieces of concrete long ago came loose and left holes in the passageway. A person could slip into the water and drown easily. As Cathy looked down into the liquid, she felt fearful of what lurked on the other side.

The road to the ruins held the same bedraggled landscape existing around Megaton. The pavement outlined a crumbled road, making the way hard to follow. Cathy frequently checked her Pip-Boy, which contained a map of old D.C. - she'd found the holodisk in a pile of junk near the house.

As the buildings came closer, the twins stopped bickering. Cathy grew jealous of the fact her brother could listen to music, because the groaning of buildings and occasional sounds of violence off in the distance scared her.

The blown out windows of the first building they arrived at offered a depressing internal view. The roof had collapsed onto the other floors in neat stacks and now the walls were waiting to topple over. Rubbish stacked high all around them, promising a million unpleasant deaths.

Walking under a tunnel an "Ah-ha," sounded from behind a car, and two people opened fire on Caleb and Cathy. The twins took cover behind the three foot tall road median. When the raiders paused to reload, both popped up and returned fire.

As she shot her laser rifle, Cathy noticed an intact car next to the raiders. She redirected her aim and fired on the vehicle. Confused, Caleb began to shout orders but Cathy ignored them. When the car finally exploded, it sent the two people flying into the wall behind them, killing them instantly.

Not missing a beat, Cathy hopped over the divide, ignored the radiation coming off the flaming parts, and began to loot the bodies. Caleb followed her dumbly, watching as she pulled ammo, caps and weapons off the corpses.

When she finished, Cathy wiped blood off her hands while her brother continued to gawk. The conversation about what happened to Moriarty left a bitter taste in her mouth, so she chose to say nothing to ease his shock. Instead she walked forward and pointed up over the buildings at an obelisk peaking over the roofs.

"The Washington Monument," Caleb said.

"Looks like it's been shot to shit," Cathy responded.

"Still standing, though."

His statement disgusted Cathy, who continued walking down their path, oblivious to whether or not he followed.

"What's it matter? It's still a piece of shit."

"Try to be positive," Caleb said. "The map says we want to go in that general direction, so it's good we can see it."

"Looks like it's blocked from here," she noted. "Buildings have fallen between us and it."

"There has to be a path through."

Veering left Caleb began to approach some of the buildings, looking for a safe way to move between them. His sister followed behind him hesitantly. She couldn't imagine pushing through the rubble with any success. They could try getting to the top but rotten roofs and unstable support structures made that seem dumb.

As her brother tried to pull open a rotten door, Cathy spotted a statue not far from the road. She turned to point it out, in time to see him rip the knob clean through a chunk of rotted wood. He held the piece of metal in his hand as if it were normal and looked back at her questioning what she wanted.

"I'm going to go look at this statue by the river side."

"Doing things alone is a bad idea."

She grunted, shrugging her shoulders as she watched him drop the door knob.

"Better idea than dealing with your mess."

When she looked at the door knob then back to Caleb his cheeks flushed and he started shouting.

"We'll go look at the statue. If we don't see a path through it I guess we'll head north and see if anything opens up."

"It can't be like this all the way through," Cathy commented. "Everyone seemed pretty adamant GNR is deep in this mess."

A marble sculpture of a muscular man, holding a huge circle, proved less interesting up-close. Red goop collected at the corner of the man's eyes, and a green patina formed around the loop, otherwise the statue seemed in good condition. He seemed almost holy, weeping endlessly with a terrible weight on his back. Cathy stood transfixed before it, snapping out of it when her brother motioned towards the river.

"If the river flows unobstructed, there may be a way through. We should walk to the metro-station then check around for more raiders."

Hesitant steps lead the twins out into the open area near the metro-station. Cracked six by six concrete slabs made up the ground and walls all around them. The groaning buildings grew quieter as they moved looked around the square, and the hairs on the back of Cathy's neck began to stand on end.

Caleb opened his mouth to suggest something and a gun shot came from the shore. Realizing they might be in for more raiders, Cathy grabbed her brother by the vest and shoved him down into the metro. More guns went off, the shouts of battle came from over head and Cathy made a decision to press further in. A symbol had been spray painted over the door along with the letters GNR next to it.

The subway tunnel smelled of mildew, piss, and decay. Ancient tiles, collapsing walls and strewn pieces of furniture made the place seem exceedingly dismal. The gunshots overhead filtered down softly, little pieces of thunder driving the weary travelers deeper into this hole. Fortunately a few lights had fission batteries attached to them, keeping the darkness at bay. Cathy nodded to her brother and walked into an ancient office.

A Protectron stood in his glass case, the computer controlling him glowing overhead. Cathy ignored it at first, digging through the desks and file cabinets with Caleb's help. Anything they could find to trade would be handy on this journey and small things like cigarettes didn't take up much weight.

"I've found like twenty caps," Caleb laughed, "and two metro tickets."

"One for me," Cathy took one, "and one for you. Good luck tickets."

Another genuine smile made Cathy feel glad they'd come here together. Right now she recognized the boy she'd grown up playing with and felt optimistic. She sighed and leaned in to hug him. She didn't know why she needed it right now, but Caleb seemed to welcome the comfort. His hand rubbed her back softly, as his other arm squeezed her in close.

She let herself enjoy it. He didn't want anything except to keep holding on and right now that seemed welcome. A finger wiggled through her hair, catching on a knot and pulling it out. She tried not to think about anything else.

"We're going to be okay," she muttered.

A gentle whisper in her ear responded, "There are probably horrible monster down here."

"I was thinking the same thing."

Tears welled up in her eyes and she felt beyond overwhelmed. He let her go after this. She could tell he had thought of something clever.

"Super-Duper Mart trick?"

"Super-Duper indeed," Cathy chuckled.

The computer proved alarmingly easy to hack. The robot inside sprung to life as if the war had never happened. The Protectron's dialog expressed an inability to comprehend its status.

"Communication with Metro Central…offline. Emergency mode, engaged."

The springs in his feet groaned with its first step, years of unchanged oil showing. The machine looked clumsy, falling from one foot to another like a toddler who had just learned to walk. Cathy watched as it scanned her and her brother, accepted their presence in the metro, and moved on to other rooms.

Hoping to see what the machine would do, Jacob pulled on Cathy's arm as she followed at its heal. "Let's stay back and let it damage anything that might harm us. Warning system."

"I got so excited I forgot," She confessed.

Listening around the corner, Cathy tried to force down a mouthful of spit as she heard laser fire. Snarls came from behind it, some kind of animal? Either way it had taken damage. At last an explosion came and the robot fell to the floor.

Weapons drawn, the twins rounded the corner, jogging over to the Protectron, prepared to fire at anything that moved. From the shadows a rodent looking animal the size of a dog lept at Caleb. Cathy pulled the trigger first, reducing the creature to ash.

Looking down at the pile, Caleb ran his foot through the grime and looked up at his sister. "What do you think they call that?"

"Vile beast."

Taking point, Cathy swept beyond the corner of the door and headed down a dark hallway. Another office, and then they were in a parking garage of the Metro. They quietly followed the weird symbol with GNR next to it down a shaft. Working around derailed trains they came to another large room in the metro. The sign said to go up, and Caleb took a step towards the stairs when Cathy pulled him back by his shirt.

"What?" he whispered.

She shook her head, and then lifted a finger to tell him to be quiet. She'd heard a growl, not quite animal, and completely fucking horrible. Another one sounded from the platform and then a loud scream came; only the voice couldn't be father from human. The twins moved back into the shadow of the tunnel, as an emaciated Ghoul stumbled into the light and lunged at a green monster that had been walking down the stairs.

The ghoul had been horrible enough, obviously robbed of all higher facilities it lashed out with teeth and boney hands, but this thing redefined the word. Cathy couldn't take her eyes off it. Thick cords of ripping muscle stretched under tough, green skin, with a body so big tires were used as shoulder pads. The monster's pug-nosed, jade colored face twisted in agony as the ghoul hit it, and it screamed in broken English.

"Though you were sneaky! Argggg! Die!"

From the monster's humongous paws a hand-grenade emerged. Meaty fingers pulled the pin and let the explosive clank down the frozen escalator. When the explosion happened, the Ghoul flew into a wall then slid down, dead.

"You stupid," The green monster yelled. "I won."

The green man began to walk the rest of the way down the stairs, closer to where Cathy and Caleb hunched in the darkness. His yellow eyes reflected in the light and he seemed blinded for a moment. Stepping into the shade caused by the platform, he surveyed the room, spotting the twins.

"Stupid humans."

Lifting another grenade, the monster threw the explosive into the tunnel mouth. Instantly Cathy lept onto her brother, knocking him and her into a hole in the wall. Caleb's head made hard contact with the concrete beneath them, dazing him.

Footsteps sounded from behind. Realizing her brother would be useless; Cathy picked up her laser rifle and began to fire recklessly. Red streaks lit up the tunnel walls, as she drove three good bursts into the charging monster's chest.

When the green beast fell forward, Cathy found herself sticking up out of the hole, breathing hard. She waited there, crouched in a foul smelling crack, listening intently. Nothing stirred and the only movement-dust motes in the shafts of sunlight.

Caleb stirred behind her and she turned to help her brother up. He'd cut his head on the jagged rubble and she immediately pulled out a stimpack. Adrenaline caused Caleb to try to dodge her but years of giving injections in the vault made her devious. A small 'psst' sounded and she removed the needle.

"Warn me next time." Caleb rubbed his scalp where the blood had pooled up and looked at the goo on his fingers. "We got lucky."

"No, I saved your ass," Cathy corrected him. "I think that thing is called a Super Mutant."

"I've heard about them, too," Caleb said.

Together the twins pulled themselves into the lighted passage and walked over to the monster. Cathy nudged it with her foot. Lacking the strength to turn it over, they searched its visible pockets. Caleb opened his palm to unveil a human finger, before tossing it away in disgust. Cathy found a grenade and felt relieved the body parts had been left to her brother.

"I think I heard they eat humans," Caleb said. His body shook with the words and she'd never seen him this scared before.

"We'll think about it later," She informed her brother. "Check the dead ghoul at the end of the stairs. Keep look out for more."

"I don't want to touch it," he whined.

"Grow a pair," Cathy hissed. "We need all the caps we can get.

15

The smell of a freshly shot wild ghoul had to be the worst part of killing them. All that rot mixed with blood resulted in a smell mixture of the stuff under your toes combined with sewer. By the time they exited the commuter tunnel, Cathy and Caleb both reeked of mildew and ghoul corpse.

"I want a shower," She whined.

"Be quiet," Caleb scolded. "There might be more."

With guns lifted, the two carefully moved out into the open area between the buildings. The dilapidated buildings made Cathy snarl, this place made Megaton look upscale. The full moon shone overhead, casting a sickly glow over the landscape. The shadows seemed darker because of it and she felt a growing paranoia that more monsters lurked just beyond.

As they advanced another crossroads presented itself. Two ways were blocked and the other pointed to a badly gutted concrete building with ramps going up to it. The hazardous passage up seemed the soul option. Before the duo could advance, a broken voice came from the shadow of the building they would have to pass.

"There they are." The green monster shouted as it emerged from the rubbish. "Stupid humans."

Both twins jumped behind a rock as a bolt action rifle fired at their heads. The creature's companion groaned, as his rifle jammed and Cathy found herself praying for a miracle. Instead she found Caleb tapping her on the shoulder.

"Hit them on the reload."

Cathy nodded, jumping out at the same time as her brother, firing in sequence, and then sliding back behind the rock. Another bullet pinged off the top of the concrete boulder and Cathy looked down at the grenade on her pocket. Caleb's eyes followed hers and he nodded in affirmation.

Pulling the grenade free, Cathy held her breath and waited for the mutant to reload before throwing it. A hollow metal sound came from the other side of the rock and the mutant's screamed. Caleb moved from cover to fire on the monster that had fallen, narrowly avoiding a shot from the one with the jammed gun. Guess he'd unjammed it.

On the next volley, Cathy returned fire as one of the mutants lifted his gun over his head and began to rush the two. The sight of the monster charging made Cathy pause in fear, her mind unable to process anymore violence. Before the creature advanced very far, the night lit up with red lights and human voices called out: "Found'em."

The mutants fell over; their body's dust. Her brother glanced over at her with a mixture of hope and confusion. Nodding, Cathy ran forward. Raiders were never this well armed or organized. Whoever her saviors were, she wanted to get a good look at them before they blasted her head off.

On the other side of the divide stood several people in old-world Military Power Suits. She'd seen photographs of them in school and had to admit they looked intimidating. A woman ripped off her helmet and began to shed the armor. Another helmet came off, revealing the face of a man, who helped his friend shuck off the metal plating. Blood oozed out of the woman's shoulder and she used her hand to staunch the wound.

"I'm a medic," Cathy yelled. Hoping these words would keep her from getting shot at.

The woman looked up with a pale face as Cathy reached over to apply some dressings she found in the tunnels. She thanked God the scavengers were too stupid to see the value in sterile supplies. She turned the woman to make sure the bullet had exited, then skillfully pressed the tissue together and used a stimpack. The flesh closed up in a weak red spot and the woman seemed to feel a little better.

"You need blood," Cathy warned, "So don't overdo it."

"That won't be easy," the woman said. "Area's overrun, we got redirected here from our main force. Muties are hitting GNR hard as we speak."

"My dad went to GNR," Caleb said from behind Cathy. She hadn't realized he'd followed her.

"He's my dad too," she said.

Tossing the empty stimpack into the hole beneath them, she turned and saw a tall blond woman, in Power Armor, making walking towards them. Her brother stood in gap mouthed attention as the blond confidently stepped forward, sweeping her pony tail from side the side. Cathy felt embarrassed to be with him.

The blond looked them both over, surveyed her companion, who began replacing her armor. She nodded at her fellows in arms, then redirected her stern blue eyes to the twins.

"You two must be crazy to venture this far into the ruins. Don't you know how dangerous this place is?"

"That's a lot of thanks for just saving your companion's life," Cathy grumbled.

A nasty look came from Caleb. Cathy crossed her arms and pretended she didn't notice. Smitten little boys didn't like their sisters pissing off their crushes. The blond woman seemed to take her words in stride, despite Caleb's admonishment.

"Nice to meet someone with medical training. Too bad I didn't have you ten minutes ago, might have saved my other man's life."

"You're welcome," Cathy grumbled.

Like a child seeing his first Christmas tree, Caleb smiled at her. "Who are you people?"

"Brotherhood of Steel," The woman said. "Never heard of us?"

"We're from a vault." Cathy answered.

The blond snorted. "You're the kids I've heard about on the radio. Brother and sister?"

"Twins," Caleb answered. Girls always thought twins were cute, so he told the pretty ones he had a twin sister right away.

"Jesus Christ," The blond said. "The whole family can't wait to get shot up."

"We're going to GNR to look for our dad," Cathy said.

The blond lifted her eyebrow and seemed to take the two more seriously. The other members of the Brotherhood nodded when she looked at them. The man who had helped the wounded woman said, "Guess that's why they got kicked out of the vault, Sentinel Lyons."

"Dad has some big mission to save the world," Cathy explained. "We didn't know about until he opened the door and walked out. Pissed the Overseer off, so here we are, trying to find him to ask why."

Considering this, Sentinel Lyons nodded her head then lifted her laser rifle onto her shoulder. Whatever her thoughts were, they dissipated quickly as she refocused on her location.

"I can appreciate people being cast out for doing the right thing, but I can't offer you any help. You can follow us through the ruins to GNR but if you get blown to hell none of us will stop to help you."

"Are you guys recruiting?" Caleb asked. He had an innocence which seemed to take Lyons off guard and she eyed him like you would a moron.

"Sorry, full up," she answered. "You can go to your grave, however, with the privilege of having fought alongside the elite Lyon's Pride. For the Brotherhood!"

"For the Brotherhood!" The soldiers shouted.

Without looking back to see if the twins followed, Sentinel Lyons lead her men towards a narrow passage between buildings. In this alleyway Cathy came across the body of a dead solider. She leaned down to scoop up the laser ammunition lying next to him. When no one objected she jogged and joined The Brotherhood at the crook of a corner. Lyons gestured with her hands and three of her men stepped out with her and began shooting. The howl of a supermutant filled the air as the twins followed after.

A few feet down, they came to a building which had been completely gutted, with only a few inside walls remaining. The Brotherhood took cover behind rubble and the twins copied them. Cathy smiled when she realized an unexploded car lay near the doorway and she removed a .35 she'd taken off a raider earlier.

"What are we waiting for," Caleb whispered to Lyons.

"Sentinel, I think he likes you," One of the men behind her kidded.

"Shut it before I shut it," Lyons responded.

"Name's Caleb," Her brother blurted. "That's Cathy."

"I'll try to spell it right on your tombstones," she muttered.

"Here he comes!" A man shouted.

Three Supermutants emerged from the doorway, firing on the rubbish piles with abandon. Another mutant posed himself in the second floor windowsill, wasting his ammo firing widely.

"Fuck this," Lyons said.

"Exactly my sentiments," Cathy growled. "Cover me."

Rising up, Cathy emptied her clip into the abandoned car's hood. The mutants shouted and shot at her, each bullet narrowly missing her torso. Cathy felt blessed the monsters proved to be shit with guns, probably their fingers were too massive to pull the trigger well. Two shots more and grey smoke sparked up from under the car and she drove back to the safety of the barricade.

"Hit the dirt," Cathy yelled.

She made contact with a steel covered body, not caring due to the explosion sending rubble down onto them. The male Brotherhood member rolled her onto her side, and shaded Cathy from the larger chunks of debris. She smiled up at him and impressed by his bravery.

"My hero," She murmured.

"You're welcome," He whispered. "Great move, by the way."

"If you two would stop making out and help the rest of us, it would sure be nice." Lyons barked, her sentence finished by the remaining mutant's gun fire.

A laser from another soldier's rifle ended the last mutant and the group followed Lyons into the building. Wallpaper peeled off green walls, each hall lined with lockers. She imagined it had been a high school once. The building seemed remarkably clean considering it lacked a roof. Cathy tried to stay close to her brother but found it difficult, as his preoccupation with protecting Sentinel Lyons made him take stupid risks.

The party advanced slowly. Cathy stayed back while the Lyon's Pride opened fired on giant mutant to the left. Taking a few steps back she decided to look up for more enemies, when a locker crashed behind her and a green monster lumbered through a hole in the wall.

Supermutants had to be the worst thing Cathy had ever seen I her life. Their skin the color and texture of slime, with thick, intimidating muscle underneath. Their faces seemed squished, like a pug dog or a Persian cat. Their eyes shown a yellow color belonging only to animals. Worst of all, they were huge-at least seven feet, and right now one stared down its deformed nose at Cathy's delicate body.

"Fuck you," She screamed.

Holding up her laser rifle, she shot the creature once in the stomach, procuring a pained yell from it. The monster lifted a piece of pipe from one of the walls, ready to smash Cathy in the skull with it.

Another shot fired from her rifle as she rolled down onto the ground, narrowly avoiding the hit. The creature's weapon made contact with the wall opposite and sent down a rain of ancient plaster and paper. He lifted the pipe again and Cathy squeezed her rifle, realizing the ammo had extinguished with the last blast.

"Caleb!" She screamed. "Find dad!"

Closing her eyes, Cathy waited for the feeling of metal making contact with her flesh-breaking skull and sending brain matter onto the wall. Instead she heard another rifle eject a red beam from its muzzle, followed by the sound of a massive body hitting the ground.

Opening her eyes, Cathy looked over at the woman whose arm she'd patched. She smiled at Cathy, and said: "Guess we're even."

"Sounds good to me," Cathy responded.

She stood up and ran towards her new friend. The two swung around a corner and moved down a hallway, hopping over the body of another fallen mutant. When they reached the doorway Caleb, Lyons, and the male soldier were pressing forward into a square overrun by supermutants. Somehow these monsters had grown taller and more bulky than the ones she'd encountered before.

"Fuck me," Cathy groaned. "They get bigger. Why do they get bigger?"

"You have no idea," The woman said.

Lifting her rifle, the female soldier joined the fight, firing her laser dutifully into the oversized green bodies. Cathy sneered and did the same, moving so the corpse of an already fallen soldier stood between her and the creatures.

The night sky grew red with laser fire. When the red haze dissipated the yellow-green blood from the mutants mixed with the moon light and gave off a pale green glow. Whatever made up these beast-men seemed toxic and unnatural.

When the last mutant body fell, Cathy found herself standing over a soldier's corpse. In his hand laid a long, heavy, gun. She hitched her laser rifle onto her hip and reached down to look at what he had. Picking up the weapon, she watched the faces of the Brotherhood to see if they minded. When no one objected, she grabbed what she assumed to be the gun's ammo-a sack of small bombs resembling the one in the Megaton.

"That thing's almost as big as you are." The man who had shielded her from the rubble said. "Come here, I'll show you where to check it in."

Only then did Cathy notice the facade of Galaxy News Radio towering over her. Symbols had been carved into the building's main support wall: a radio tower emitting lightening blots, with GNR emblazoned overhead. To either side stood an intact structure, the only one she had seen in the D.C. ruins thus far.

As she made her way up the concrete steps, Cathy's mouth fell open. She turned to watch the celebrating soldiers, who seemed small next to the bodies of slain mutants.

A hand settled on her shoulder and she looked over at the man who'd shielded her. He smiled at her, "Knight Captain Colvin. Good to meet you Cathy. God really works through you when you use that gun."

Not knowing what to say, Cathy just nodded. Usually people saved the compliments for her brother and she had to think of how to react. Normally suave, Cathy couldn't figure out what about her interested Colvin so much.

"Hey you going to-" Colvin managed to say, before an explosion shook the building. Cars flew through the air and she turned to look out over the battlefield at a Supermutant the size of a house.

The emerald-skinned monster screamed. It lifted a sewer pipe, with a huge chunk of concrete at the end, and swung it at a soldier below. The man flew with the impact, falling to the ground after he hit a wall, dead. The rest of the brotherhood opened fire, red lasers pounding the creature in the face.

A lucky shot made contact with the monster's eye and it lifted its hands to shield itself, dropping the club in the process. Cathy instinctively lifted the gun she'd picked up, to her shoulder. She looked behind her at Colvin who nodded in approval and loaded a nuke from the sack onto the back.

Reaching forward Colvin patted her on the head twice and yelled, "Pull."

The trigger took two fingers to squeeze and the impact of jettisoning the nuke sent Cathy stumbling backwards. She looked up in time to see the bomb smack into the right arm of the monster, cleaving tissue from its socket and leaving the limb hanging on by muscle and skin. Bright yellow goo exploded out from pumping arteries and the creature covered its wound with its free hand.

"Let's see the Outcasts do that," Colvin cheered.

Cathy swung her head around and looked at the beast. Her mind started to get lost in all of the chaos. The lasers firing from the men trapped in the center didn't help. Occasionally she'd hear bullets but there were decided pauses in-between rounds. The world began to spin and Cathy had to fight with herself to stay focused.

"Pull!" Colvin yelled again, tapping Cathy on the head a second time.

Did she still have that weapon in her arm? Of course she did, and Caleb was somewhere out there fighting the monster. She had to pull the trigger, had to put an end to the fight.

"You okay?" Colvin shouted.

She nodded her head, collecting her senses just enough to fire the gun. This time the concussion knocked her on her ass. Another concussion rocketed through the square, repeating itself off the decaying buildings. The earth shook again and you could hear rubble sliding free all around them. A cheer started from the center of the plaza.

Colvin leaned down to help her up, his metal hand almost too bulky to wrap around hers. When she came to her feet Cathy found herself blushing at the attention. Colvin leaned forward and whispered into hear ear, "He's gone to meet his maker, Vault Dweller. Maybe he will find forgiveness?"

The Brotherhood in the circle began to chant "One-Oh-One, One-Oh-One."

Waving Colvin away out of confusion, Cathy looked helplessly into his blue eyes.

He thumped her in the shoulder playfully. "I told you, God moves through you. He uses you as his holy weapon when you are motivated the right away. Enjoy your glory."

Colvin leaned down to kissed her on the head; Cathy recoiled in shock. Staring at the man in surprise, she softened when he shrugged through his armor. Despite herself, she hugged Colvin, who wavered on his feet, then patted her on the back sportingly. Letting him go, she walked down the stairs into the circle, and then remembered her brother had been in the thick of the fight.

"Caleb!" she shouted, running towards Lyons.

The woman stepped to the side and Caleb stood up out of the murky, radioactive fountain water. He waved at her, trying to seem congenial despite his awkward predicament.

"First blast knocked his ass into the fountain," Lyons explained. "He kept shooting from the water like a trooper though. I'll have some of my boys give him a dose of Rad-X in thanks."

"You blew the things head off," Caleb grinned at his sister. "I didn't think you had it in you."

"Looks like you're not the only one with a pair of balls in the family," Another soldier said and everyone except Caleb laughed.

Realizing she'd been avoiding looking at the thing she'd killed, Cathy turned. Neon colored blood spattered the walls all around where the monster fell. His green body lay in a lifeless heap, what remained of his brains spilled out of his skull and floated in a pool of yellow-green muck. The moonlight made this sight all the more obscene and Cathy felt nauseated by all of it. If it were a different substance the glow would be pretty and that made the sight all the more obscene.

It took everything inside of her to will her eyes in another direction. On the stairs stood Colvin, shaking his head. His eyes penetrated Cathy and she could read the message from here: "Don't look at it." So she didn't.

Needing to get out of the square quickly, Cathy walked away from the group abruptly, marched up the stairs, and stood dumbly in front of an intercom. She turned her head to the left and watched Colvin's blond head jog down the stairs towards the body. The sight of the green corpse made her feel funny and she suddenly vomited all over the ground. Little pieces of noodles looked up at her from the pile, the last thing she'd eaten.

"Easy there," it was Lyons again. She'd followed her to the door. Caleb stood behind the Sentinel, trying to hide his mortification.

"Everyone reacts badly the first time they see a big one," Lyons smiled.

Cathy decided to take her sympathy in good grace.

"They don't get any bigger than that, right?"

"Nope," She answered. "There aren't a whole of lot of them either. Thank goodness for small miracles."

"Or oversized ones in small numbers," Caleb joked. Lyons smiled at him, probably trying to keep the mood up so Cathy wouldn't barf again. Knowing when to be positive helped people to be leaders, after all.

"Let's get you inside," Lyons said.

Pressing the button the intercom she ordered, "Open up."

"Yes, Sentinel Lyons," came the reply.

"What are you going to do with the body?" Cathy asked as the doors opened.

"Burn it before it starts to stink."

Almost on cue, came the sound of flame throwers starting up. She gulped as the orange glow of fire sent shadows dancing across the porch. Her stomach began to turn over again and Cathy darted through the open doors, past two bewildered guards. She headed down a side hallway and found a place to sit down. Overhearing her brother and Lyons talking at the entrance, she buried her face in her knees and tried not to break down crying.

Her heart kept playing her movies. Butch's face when she left him in the vault. Burke's hands on her flesh. The way the brains fell out of the skull of the giant mutant's head. The moment the supermutant almost brought the pipe down on her. All of the wild ghouls in the underground and the feted stink of them still hanging on her clothes.

Shaking and trying not to scream, Cathy felt a pair of hands on her, pulling her up by her shoulders. She slumped forward and leaned against a body. Whoever felt warm despite being wet, and she realized how frozen she had grown in the warm July air. Something had to be wrong with her.

"It's okay," Caleb whispered. "I'm here and for now we're safe. The Brotherhood gave me some Rad-X and a few provisions for us to eat before we head out. We're here Cathy and for all we know Dad is too."

"We have to find Dad," She whimpered. "We came this entire way just see him."

"Three Dog is upstairs, and even if Dad isn't here-he knows where he is. Kitty, it will be okay."

"Stop calling me that." She whimpered before shoving her brother backwards as she tried to regain her balance.

She couldn't fall apart now. What she'd seen outside had been fucking traumatic but she couldn't afford to go on vacation, yet. At some point, father down the road, when they found Dad-she could sob all she wanted. Right now she had to hold it together, Caleb couldn't leave her here and he couldn't guide an invalid back through the tunnels to Megaton.

Reaching into her leather jacket, Cathy touched the letters Burke had sent her. Something in her head told her she needed to save them for a better time. Now she could open these when needed something happy and tonight felt like the night. Whenever they got to a place she could open one up, she'd reward herself with his sweet words. Things would be okay; someone loved her and wanted to start a home with her. Best of all he wanted to take her away from this mess.

"Come on," Caleb said. "Three Dog is upstairs waiting for us."

"Caleb?"

"What?" He smiled at her.

"Do I have any of that glowing shit on me?" She asked.

Something about her amused her brother. He ruffled her hair, pulling some of the strands out of the pony tail she'd stuffed it into. Inspecting her, he licked his thumb and smeared something off her cheek.

"That left a hole in the muck," Caleb kidded. "It will be where the light gets through."

"Like your house in Megaton," She said. "You don't need the light bulbs during the day."

"Because my house has so many holes in it."

"Let's go see Three Dog," She said.

A weak body made walking hard. She'd need to sleep before they continued, but for now her courage felt restored.


	6. 16-19

16

The man behind the radio proved unattractive. This surprised Cathy, because she'd found his voice so appealing. He spoke with an earnestness belonging to the best of humanity and here she faced an ordinary man. Behind a pair of sunglasses, he studied the twins, while his fingers roamed through an unkempt goatee of graying hair.

"Don't bother introducing yourselves," he said. "You are the only two people in the wasteland who need no introduction. Savior of Megaton and his friend."

"Sister," Cathy corrected him. "My name his Catherine, but they call me Cathy and this is my brother, Caleb Irving."

"James Irving's kids," Three Dog said. "Should have known by the look of you. Can't tell which one is older."

"Me," Caleb answered. "By three minutes."

"Your mother must be worried."

"Our mother is dead." Cathy felt annoyed by this inane line of conversation, so gruffer than she'd like she approached Three Dog. "Just so we know, our father isn't dead, right?"

"He didn't tell you he was leaving the vault," Three Dog said.

He seemed impressed by this; his goatee caresses became longer and more thoughtful. "So you don't know why he left either?"

"He told us he had some big project," Caleb said. "Apparently he has to finish something for the sake of mankind."

"Whoooo," Three Dog called. "Fighting the goooood fight. That's why I liked your dad. You were right to come here; he left about two days ago."

"What did he want?" Caleb asked.

Cathy could see the tension in her brother's shoulders. She couldn't tell if worry caused it or if the day's events had begun to take their toll. The battle outside, the monsters lurking this world, all of them had made Cathy feel as if she would go mad soon. On top of it she ached for sleep.

"Answers never come easy around here," Three Dog said.

"Bullshit," Cathy growled. "You take so much pride in giving 'the truth' to your listeners. Give us what we came for so we can fight our way back through those mutants and restore some normalcy to our lives."

"I wish I could give it to you that easy," Three Dog confessed. He held his hands up in penance but still retained a cool demeanor. "See I need a favor awful bad. About three weeks ago a super mutant decided to take a pot shot at the shiny round dish on top of the Washington monument."

"Your relay," Cathy groaned.

Caleb turned and looked at his sister in confusion; he had no idea what a relay did. Waving her hand Cathy leaned back against a post and sighed. "I don't think that will be easy to come by in this dump."

"Now there is the trick," Three Dog said. "I know where one is."

Shaking her head Cathy looked away from the man in disgust because he reminded her of Moriarty with a conscience. "Why don't you get one of your Brotherhood buffoons to get it for you?"

"They aren't the fetching sort," Three Dog answered. "Plus every day this place comes under harder fire from the mutants outside. They can't afford to send out more men to recover a radio relay. As much as they want the word getting out, they have already made a huge sacrifice to keep the building safe."

"We'll keep you on the air, Three Dog," Caleb vowed.

He seemed excited by the prospect and all Cathy could hear were the boyish dreams that had lead him to become a guard in the vault.

The DJ turned to look at Cathy, who crossed her arms and turned her head. Caleb sensed her hesitation and placed his hand on her elbow. Looking up at him, Cathy saw his dreams in his eyes again and debated yanking them out. Maybe he'd be better off blind and confused.

"We have to do this for dad," Caleb told her. "Not to mention it's the right thing to do. Dad would want us to do it. You can fix the relay Cathy. I know you can."

Softened by her brother's pleading Cathy turned to Three Dog.

The DJ grinned at her from under his glasses, victorious.

"Where the fuck is the relay?"

"Museum of Technology," he answered. "It's in the Mall. The Lunar Lander has a relay dish attached to it. Get it, attach it to the monument and you'll get your information."

"How far is The Mall from here?" Caleb asked.

"Not far."

"What is waiting in the mall to kill us?" Cathy asked.

Three Dog shook his head and laughed at her. "You're killing me, girl."

"I'm not going to, unless you don't tell me."

"Supermutants, ghouls, and crazy Talon Company mercenaries last I heard."

"We might need a place to resupply," Cathy said. "Will these Brotherhood guys sell to us?"

"Probably not," Three Dog told her. "You'll come out of the underground near Underworld, the ghoul city. Act nice and they will sell to you."

"Great," Cathy sighed. "More Ghouls. I don't think this can get any better."

"I won't lie, it's a war zone," Three Dog said. "I'll get word to the monument you'll be coming, so they don't shoot you when you try to enter."

"Thanks." Cathy's sarcasm made Three Dog's eyebrow rise.

Shaking her head, Cathy walked out of the room. As she shut the door behind her she could hear Caleb making nice with the DJ. He'd probably chat for awhile, so Cathy decided to take advantage of the pile of mattresses in the lobby.

As she turned down the hallway, she ran into a fully armored Knight. Hissing, she cupped her arm where the metal made contact and he moved to the side. As she resumed walking down the hall she heard him say, "God can't help you if you close your heart up with anger."

"Excuse me?" She turned around. The person behind the mask had to be Colvin-no one else spoke in such a weird way.

"The Lord is in all sentient beings," He answered. "People like you and I are the instruments of his Holy Wrath. Cloud your mind with anger, hate, or disbelief and he can't use you. You can be God's greatest instrument, Cathy. Your brother is a fool. You're the one God wants to use."

"Tell God to send me somewhere better," She growled.

"Ask him and he will."

Pausing, she thought about the words about to come out of her mouth and bit back a sob. "You tell him. You tell him I don't think I can do this much more. I don't like killing and I don't want to see all these horrible things."

"God hates abominations more than we ever can," Colvin said.

Stepping forward he brushed the metal glove through her hair, dislodging her pony tail. As she fished out another hair tie to replace the broken one he continued to speak.

"Child, he sends you what you need, when you need it. Look for him in all things and give thanks when he helps you. He sent me you to save us from the big Supermutant and in return I will always give you sanctuary here."

"I'll keep that in mind," She whispered.

"There is a chapel to him in Rivet City," Colvin continued. "If you ever see it, say a prayer for me there."

"Sure," Cathy said. "Anything else?"

Her words sounded harsh in her head but Colvin didn't seem offended. She could feel the tears still pooling in her eyes as she watched him take off his helmet. His scraggly blond hair and long goatee reminded her a little of Three Dog's but that is where the resemblance ended.

Reaching his metal fingers to the neck of his suit, Colvin pulled on two chains. Holographic rectangles flopped out onto his armor and he fidgeted with a second chain. Once it came off, he dangled a medallion over Cathy's head, letting the metal beads fall around her head like a circlet.

Pulling down on the necklace Cathy held on to the charm, weaving her hair through the necklace, before looking at it. A man holding a head in one hand and a scroll in the other looked up at her from the coin. She ran her finger over it and read the engraving.

"Saint Jude, pray for us."

"He finds lost things," Colvin explained. "I figured you needed him more than I do right now. My mother gave it to me back when we were in California. She raised me to be righteous and now I give it to you so you can find your way to God."

"I can't take this," Cathy said. She tried to take the necklace off but he shook his head. In the chastest way possible he opened up her shirt and dropped the coin inside. A determined frown fell across his face and she knew she couldn't defy him.

"Thank you," She whispered.

"Thank God."

Without thinking, Cathy jumped forward and kissed Colvin on the cheek. His face grew red at the action and he ran the steel glove across the spot her lips had touched. He licked his mouth and looked at her, playing with something in his mind, and then returned the helmet to his head. Colvin's hand lifted to his temple in a salute and he turned to walk away.

Her hand ran across her forehead and back down to the metal necklace. The medallion felt hot against her chest, almost as if it were on fire. Once Colvin rounded the corner, Caleb emerged, charging towards her. Cathy braced herself for what would come next.

"Three Dog's gonna help us," he announced.

"If you call that help," she said.

"Always the pessimist, Kitty."

"Don't call me that."

"I saw Sentinel Lyons getting ready to leave," he said. "We should go say good-bye to her. I heard one of her men calling her Sarah, by the way."

"We should get to Underworld before dawn," Cathy said. "I am hoping Supermutants sleep and we'll run into less of them."

"Do monsters ever sleep?"

"I do," Cathy answered.

She squeezed the necklace under her shirt and wished God would save her from having to do this.

17

A long tunnel of misery lay between GNR and Underworld. The screams of two women fighting off a wild ghoul attack distracted Cathy. This noise combined with the memory of the giant mutant's head spilled across the plaza. She waited on the other side of the door, listening to the ghouls rip the screaming women apart. When the noise died down she opened the door and saw the creatures feasting on the fresh corpses. The machinations of their jaws filling the air with a wet grinding sound as the twins stepped in and finished them off.

The tunnels had been filled with desperate, violent people. Cathy couldn't imagine living like this. These people squatted in unstable caverns and tunnels, waiting for a violent death. Peace-the dream no one could vocalize but everyone kept bitterly in their hearts. Would money buy it? Water provide it? Food?

Knees about to give way, Cathy stumbled up the stairs to the metro station and out into the open air of the Mall. The sun peeked over the horizon, sending a pale yellow light over the ground. Everything seemed calm as the twins looked over the landscape through gun sights.

In the dawn light Cathy could see the blood and grit caked onto Caleb, along with the freshly closed wounds on his cheek. Streaks and droplets of yellow, red, and rust decorated his body like a painting she'd seen in a book once. Here in the yellow light. A person could believe he'd made himself look like this.

Two green bodies shifted in the distance, the voices echoing off the walls. Cathy nudged her brother and led him into the alcove of a nearby building. They were low on ammo, hungry and tired. Avoiding fights would be best. As they pressed in between the columns of the old building, putting debris between them and the mutants, a female Ghoul walked by with a gun strapped to her back.

She paused near the twins, lit a cigarette and looked over toward the mutants.

"When they see me they'll clear out. We have an understanding around here. I'll let you know when it's safe."

"Thanks," Cathy and Caleb whispered at the same time.

"Quiet," The Ghoul warned. "If they hear human voices, nothing can stop them."

Half way through her cigarette, the Ghoul turned to study the humans better. She smiled, the exposed muscles on her face tensing with the action.

"All clear."

"We owe you," Caleb said as he stepped out of the hole.

The female ghoul nodded her hat bobbing as she did so. Holding out a hand covered by fingerless gloves, she watched Caleb carefully.

"Name's Willow."

"Caleb and Cathy Irving."

"You look too much alike to be married."

"Twins," Caleb beamed.

"You don't say." Willow leaned around and got a good look at Cathy.

"I haven't seen twins since the bombs fell. They don't tend to do well. Moms don't usually make it."

"Ours didn't," Cathy said.

Sitting beside Cathy on the concrete barrier lining the subway entrance, Willow lit another cigarette. She exhaled through her nose, the holes billowing smoke like a dragon. When she inhaled, trails of grey would seep out from her tear ducts and Cathy marveled at the repugnance of it.

"Haven't seen a lot of ghouls, have you kid?"

"We're from a Vault," Caleb announced.

"You're James's kids."

The ghoul's words made both of them jump. Willow motioned over to a radio sitting on a table, another pack of smokes atop it. "Three Dog's been telling your dad you're looking for him."

"He hasn't been here?" Caleb asked.

"No kid," Willow said. "Sorry."

"Is there somewhere we can rest nearby?" Cathy asked. "We got a little food at GNR but we haven't slept in nearly twenty four hours."

"You can get food and drinks at Ninth Circle," Willow mumbled. "If I were a couple of tourists I'd go hit up Carol's Place. She'll treat you better and she's got beds."

"Tourists?" Cathy asked.

"You came here to see The Mall, didn't you?" Willow asked. "Makes you tourists in my book."

"I like it better than smoothskin," Cathy said.

In response Willow cocked her mouth to the side and blew smoke in her direction. Watching this made Caleb fidget and he walked over to tug on his sister's shirt sleeve. "We should probably go get some sleep."

"Whatever," Cathy said.

Grimacing she stood up from the wall, realizing how sick the exhaustion made her body. Her stomach had never really recovered from vomiting and she'd developed a pinching headache. She needed sleep badly.

"Thank you." Caleb half bowed at Willow, who waved him away while she finished her smoke.

Inside the Museum of History a giant statue stopped Cathy dead in her tracks. Caleb pattered a few feet ahead before looking back, his eyes following his sisters. Bodies writhed together in a twenty foot clump. Molded from some form of plastic and decorated to look bronze, each face screamed up at the sky in unending agony.

Deciding it best not to look at it, Cathy averted her attention to a sign reading "UNDERWORLD." It sat atop a giant death's-head, the two front teeth a set of doors. She stepped to the side and held her head, the pressure in her skull feeling like it would explode out. The statues stared back at her, screaming for help, the raiders, the wild ghouls, the super mutants all writhing inside the hard plastic. She pulled at her hair and managed to mutter. "I have a bad feeling about this place."

"We'll be okay," Caleb assured her. "We've just had a long day."

"It's getting longer."

Straightening her body-fluid covered shirt, Cathy brushed past her brother and headed towards the thick doors leading to the city. The wood slid open easier than she anticipated, revealing a city full of undead inhabitants. A few people stopped and looked at the two newcomers, whispering to themselves in surprise.

One ghoul stepped forward. He wore a brown speed suit and looked unimpressed by the visitors. Putting a wrench in his pocket he cocked his head to the side, as if adjusting for cataracts, and whistled to himself.

"Been a long time since we had strange smoothskins down here. Are you looking for something particular?"

"Got some stuff to trade," Cathy said, "and we need a place to get some sleep."

"We don't mean any harm," Caleb chimed in. "We're looking for our dad, so now we have to do a favor for Three Dog to find him."

How trusting her brother could be. It would be sweet if it didn't put them in danger. She surveyed the place, trying to decide where to head. More Ghouls were gathering to stare and she couldn't handle being interesting right now.

"Where's Carol's place?" she asked.

"Up the stairs to your right," The ghoul answered. "Tell her Winthrop said you're alright and she should give you a decent rate."

"Thanks," they said at the same time.

Her brother found this amusing but it irritated Cathy. Everything irritated her, but cute twin behavior made her wish she'd never been born. Silently, the two moved up the stairs to the doorway Winthrop had directed them towards. The chipped marble floors, with its intricate carvings, made Cathy wonder how nice this place looked before the war.

A female Ghoul got up from a bed as they entered the Inn. She sauntered over to the bar and with a tired voice asked to help the two. Walking in together, Cathy leaned against the wall and decided to let Caleb handle the conversation.

"You must be Carol," Caleb said.

"I'm Greta," She informed him. "The one in the bed is Carol. Any other questions?"

"We need a room," he said.

Cathy could tell he was trying not to act embarrassed. Greta didn't seem to care. She leaned down and picked up a pair of keys from under the counter. Her eyes rested on her and then him, a weary, unimpressed expression never leaving her.

"You two together?" She eyed Cathy suspiciously. "You look an awful lot alike."

"We're twins," Caleb grinned. Cathy smacked her forehead and groaned.

"Uh huh," Greta responded. "I'll throw an extra cot in the room for you then. Only charge you a cap over the single rate, since you won't be distracting the customers with groans."

With these words Caleb's face grew red. He stammered and Cathy took great pleasure in watching someone shut him up. Unfortunately this meant his brain would be out of commission for the next few minutes. Tiredness made Cathy pull seven caps out of her pocket and slam them on the counter.

"We won't make any groans," She said. "We're really brother and sister, so I'd love the extra cot."

"I'll help you move one in," Caleb offered.

Motioning him over, Greta showed Caleb an old army cot stored behind a dresser. The two busied themselves moving the heavy furniture forward before sliding the cot out. Cathy tried to find the room. A misplaced bathroom stall stood in one corner, and other patrons seemed to be sleeping on the ground.

"That's it." Greta said to Cathy, motioning to the stall. "Would you open the door?"

Cathy unlatched the door and opened the door. A full sized bed sat in the center, made up with old sheets. Her brother shoved her aside and placed the cot on the bed, looking at her expectantly. Cathy put her hands on the size of the bed and they both dragged it over about a foot.

"You should put your cot along the partitioned wall," Cathy said. "So we can store our loot in the corner between us."

"My thoughts exactly."

Quickly, both shed their packs, leaving only a gun to hold by their sides as they slept. He placed the cot on the ground and began to put it together.

Greta peered at them through the door. "People will start waking up soon. I'll try to keep them quiet."

"I don't know about him but I could sleep through anything right now." Cathy said. "Thank you."

Locking the bathroom door, Cathy crawled onto the bed and discovered the mattress to be lumpy. The smell of rot permeated all of Underworld but the bed seemed particularly odorous. She assumed it had been slept on by a thousand ghouls. These people looked like corpses and smelled like it, unfortunately. The thought made her stomach feel sour and she tried to focus on something else.

Instead of fretting, she rolled over on her side. She could hear Caleb moving next to her, probably peeling off his dirty clothes before crawling in to bed. She'd do the same but she didn't see the point. They had nowhere to bathe and her clothing would be just as dirty tomorrow. A few seconds later Caleb began to snore.

Comfortingly, Cathy ran her fingers along the envelopes in her jacket. She reached in and pulled the first one out, turning it in her hand. She'd promised herself this would be her reward for making it through the night. Burke's words would surely sooth every worry she held inside.

With shaking hands she tore open the letter. Her finger ripping through the envelope brought back the memory of the huge Supermutant with his arm hanging off of his body and GNR plaza covered with neon green blood. The sick smell of the wild ghouls in the tunnels and women being ripped apart.

Opening the letter slowly, she noted the handwriting, a beautiful cursive. The last note she'd gotten had been from her dad, saying he'd left the vault to do important work. The she remembered Butch letting her walk out of his life, to afraid to join her. Finally she drew in a breath, calmed her mind and read the letter.

_Beloved,_

_I must beg your indulgence a little while longer. I am not yet able to send for you. Stay in Megaton. Once my business has concluded, I will send for you, and we will live happily as man and woman._

_The memory of your beauty and sweet aroma lingers in my memory..._

_Have patience my love._

_Soon. Soon we shall be together once again!_

_Yours very truly,_

_Burke_

The first lines of love had made her happy, a bright light in the darkness. The third line proved a punch to her chest. She read over his loving words repeatedly. _Stay in Megaton. Stay. I'll send for you. You're smell. Stay._

She should have stayed.

If she had done as he asked she wouldn't be here. All of the horrible things playing through her head, like devils carved into a Ferris wheel, wouldn't exist. She could have spared herself all of it. She wouldn't be covered in blood, sleeping in a city of living corpses and risking her life for other people's dreams.

Remembering the other letter, Cathy ripped the paper out of its envelope. Her hands shook hard and she gulped as she read his words. _Love. Only love._ _He would send for her and he had important work._

No comfort came from reading it, the request to stay still ringing her brain. Why hadn't she had the sense to let her father wander off? If he wanted to die in the ruins of D.C. why should she stop him?

He could be dead already and none of it would mean a thing. Her breathing became shallow and she grasped at her shirt. The nagging torment of everything she'd seen, the memories flooding back in a circuit of pain and anguish. Nothing could stop it and her tears escaped down her face and soaked into the pillow.

A shadow gathered near the door and an unfamiliar voice spoke up. "Are you okay, dear?"

Cathy's sobs grew louder. She shook her head but knew the eyes on the other side could not see. The shadow shifted on its feet as she started to gasp for air, becoming so hysterical she thought she might lose consciousness.

As Cathy's heart began to race the voice on the other side spoke again. "May I come in?"

"Yes," She managed between sobs.

Caleb stirred and pushed something away with his hand. The door opened and the other ghoul from the bed stepped in. As she closed the door Cathy could see Greta near the counter looking on in disapproval. The woman who entered sat down on the edge of the bed and gathered the crying girl to her chest.

She smelled like cooked meat and old trash but Cathy's nose was stopped up so she could only barely smell it.

"It'll be okay," the woman said. "I'm Carol. My woman told me you were young and now that I look at you I'm amazed you're here. No one should have to live with the world the way it is. I know hard existing can be."

"I want to go home," Cathy simpered. She sounded like a child but she didn't care. The matronly behavior of this ghoul-woman comforted her, even if she found her basic existence repulsive.

"Where is home dear?" Carol asked.

The ghoul petted Cathy's hair and she let herself enjoy it. Choking back snot she coughed and caught her breath. Right now everything hurt too much, she couldn't afford dignity.

"Vault one-oh-one but I can't ever go back there."

"I see," Carol cooed. "So where is your new home then? The place you've made for yourself."

"Caleb has a house in Megaton."

"I have a son in Megaton." Her voice grew more upbeat, strange coming from a scratchy throated ghoul. "His name is Gob. Do you know him?"

All she could see-look on Moriarty's corpse followed by the disturbing stillness of a dead raider. Then the reminder to stay in Burke's letter.

This cycle ended with a hard shake from Carol. Cathy clinched her fists together to try to get herself under control. How this woman could be Gob's mother, she had no idea, but she had to give an answer.

"He-he owns a bar."

"A bar?" Carol sounded pleased. "Imagine that, my boy owns a bar."

"He's in love with a pretty woman too," Cathy said, "But I don't know if she likes him back."

"Probably a red head," Carol responded. "He always had a soft spot for those."

"You're right." Cathy smiled despite her state of mind. Then sobs came again and Carol resumed petting her hair.

"You've never been in D.C. before," Carol whispered. "I can tell. For a girl from a vault this place must be overwhelming. So many things to have bad dreams about and it always waits till you're safe to catch up with you."

It took her a few minutes to calm down her breathing enough to talk.

"I have a boyfriend. He wanted me to wait in Megaton. I didn't know. Oh god, what if he's looking for me?"

"If he loves you he'll wait forever," Carol said. "Greta waited with me while I scraped up the money to get this place. Now we've had many happy years together."

Bobbing her head, Cathy felt sleep start to pull at her. She leaned in to Carol harder, trying to find something intelligent to say but coming up short. Exhaustion brought her guard down, so she found herself becoming extremely honest.

"I don't know why he likes me. I think if I'm not there when he comes, he'll just leave. I'm probably too evil to love."

"No one is too evil to love," Carol scolded her, "Especially little girls fresh from a vault looking for their dad in the center of hell. You're getting sleepy or you wouldn't say things like that. Now I'm going to help you take this jacket off and tuck you into bed. Get some rest and I bet when you wake up things will seem easier."

"Is it safe to sleep here?"

"I'll make sure of it," Carol promised.

The old ghoul helped Cathy pull her arms through her jacket, like her father had when she was little. Rolling aside the sheets, Carol pulled the covers up to Cathy's chin and brushed her fingers along her hair gently. The old woman began to hum and Cathy fell unconscious, her dreams more peaceful than her thoughts.

18

Restless sleep caused Cathy to curse her decision to stay in Underworld. The sounds of people eating, talking, and laughing woke her, contributing to a foggy, in-between sleep. At one point her brother drug her out of bed, shoved food into her and helped her back to the room. She remembered being with Burke during this time, he sat across from her refusing to speak to her out of disapproval to her going out into the wastes.

Everything became clearer the day after, when Caleb shook her awake and shoved weak coffee down her throat.

"I paid a fortune for that, so enjoy it while it's hot."

The Pip-Boy sent a warning tick of radiation up Cathy's bones and made her feel ill. Despite the radiation being taken in, she drank down the coffee. Her brother sat on the end of the bed, smiling, and she knew he wanted something. Rather than ask what he wanted, she sipped on her coffee and ignored the ticks she heard in her head-caused by the Pip-Boy.

19

Shaking like a leaf, Cathy looked down at the Lunar Lander from the upper floor. She made it deep into the museum before all her courage wore off. The trigger came from two Supermutants on the lower level, unaware of her presence above. Killing the mutants wouldn't be a problem, she'd already proven herself, but the subject of their conversation stopped her cold.

A few hours after Caleb cleared out, she'd gathered her guns, and left Carol and Greta with enough money to assure her junk would be safe. She'd exited Underworld, telling her uncertainties that she'd stand in the Mall and see what she felt capable of doing before continuing to the museum.

In the open air she felt invigorated. Willow allowed her to follow her on paces, remaining silent while Cathy worked up her will. As they rounded the front of the subway, a mutant rose up out of the trenches in the middle of the Mall. Lead pipe first, the mutant dashed at Cathy, despite Willow's warnings.

He took three bullets to the side before reaching the small human. A quick ten millimeter bullet brought him down before his pipe could do any damage. Unfortunately, his body had too much forward momentum to stop itself and Cathy had been knocked to the ground by an arm as big around as her waist.

Bloody scrapes were the worst wounds she had. Willow's hands plucked her out from under the mutant, sliding her to the side while she spotted for more trouble. Rather than lay down and whimper, Cathy stepped out past the guard, taking out her shot gun and blasting it into the stomach of the first Supermutant she'd come across.

She moved with an absence of thought or understanding, mechanically mowing down every foe encountered. Each green monster's screaming death drove Cathy further. She cleared a long path of death through the center of The Mall, emerging just outside of the Museum she needed to explore. She noticed a war going on in the remains of the old capital building to her left but ignored it. Not her fight.

Inside the Museum of Technology she'd continued her path of destruction. Death had become a comrade and together they slaughtered. One monster managed to bring a pipe down on her leg, almost breaking it and almost snapping her back to normal. She drove the muzzle of her gun into the mutant's neck and fired, his blood raining down on her as she limped away to a secured top floor.

Wounded, covered in grime and blood, Cathy paused to pull out a stimpack. Injecting over the source of the wound, Cathy hissed at the pain from the liquid taking effect. It would take a few seconds before she could put weight back on the leg and another blow to it could prove detrimental. Bone reconstruction by stim proved weaker than natural mending and multiple breaks too close together could cripple a person.

While she waited for her energy to come back, Cathy heard two mutants moving about below her. Their conversation consisted of questions about the gunfire they heard and constant accusations of getting in each other's way. As she listened to this inane bickering she wondered if she and Caleb sounded like this to others.

Trying not to laugh at the absurdity of her thoughts, Cathy heard the words that caused her nerves to falter. "I almost remembered something from before."

"I had it in my mind," The mutant continued. "I remember a child and then I couldn't remember it no more. So close, but nothing."

The ramifications of what the creature said weren't lost on the doctor. Nothing in nature could account for the extreme mutation of these creatures. She'd seen enough of their corpses to know they lacked reproductive organs and the confession told her exactly what she hoped to be false. Radio stories about mutants dragging people off alive were frightening enough. She'd seen their camps and knew they ate people but this was worse. She craned her head and listened, the pain in her leg dulling as the bone mended.

"Don't worry about who you can't be no more," The other mutant said. "Sometimes I think I'm about to remember, too. My brain is stupid, it doesn't know."

"Why can't it know?" The mutant sounded confused and hurt. "It seems to want to know so bad."

A humming came from the throat of the second mutant and Cathy heard it start to ascend the stairs. At some point they would discover her hiding place behind a potted plant and open fire. The knowledge she could become one of them if captured made her pull her weapon and prepare for battle.

Hand shaking, she braced her gun against the pot, the slow steps of the mutant echoing in her mind. It kept humming, almost a tune but not quite. She needed to center herself, get a hold of something sane and cling to it. Desperate, she remembered putting some of Azhrukahl's Psycho in her bag and ripped the sack from her back.

Fumbling through the pockets, she found the syringe after what seemed to be forever. The drug existed in excess around raider camps and she knew using it probably made you extremely violent but she didn't need to be a saint right now. Holding her breath, Cathy stabbed her healthy leg with the needle and used her palm to shove the plunger down.

A blanket of nothing washed across Cathy. She felt her hands tingle and the steps of the mutant grew louder. Its humming made her teeth grind. The nothing gave away to an explosive burst of rage. This waste of genetic material had no fucking right to threaten her life.

Riding the wave of hatred flowing through her body, Cathy lept up, her leg no longer hurting. Swiftly she descended on the mutant, the butt of her gun finding its nose. All of her weight slammed into the creatures face, sending him back into the wall.

The mutant's companion began to fire his hunting rifle at her. Pop, eject, reload, and fire. Pop, eject, reload, and fire. She didn't realize it but with every bullet she ducked and ran around the parameter of the stairs, fast like fire. Pop, eject, and Cathy's bullet made contact with the mutant's face. Brains blew back and glowing ooze slipped down the grey marble wall.

Roaring like a lion, Cathy noticed a stir from the mutant she'd knocked out. Before it had time to open its eyes she lept. Once again the butt of her gun made contact with the creatures head and shoulders repeatedly. Each time the wood hit flesh, a rewarding-sucking sound occurred and the smell of chemicals and blood filled the air. Cathy laughed with glee, bashing in the skull until abstract chunks of bone and paste were all that remained.

Spinning around to look for more victims, Cathy felt like a great bitch goddess-in full realization of her powers. Beneath her feet the earth quaked in terror and her stomach squealed; demanding flesh ripped from unwilling supplicants. The stairs disappeared and she looked around the Luna Lander for something living. Disappointed, she roughly pulled the dish from the craft and secured it to her pack.

With a joy unbecoming of a sane person, Cathy burst through the doors on the lower floor. She had killed most of the museums' inhabitants but still she wanted a fight. When nothing presented itself, she ran for the exit doors, ripping them open when she arrived.

Out in the mall she continued her violent campaign. Eyes were ripped from faces, holes torn in bodies, and rounds of ammo emptied beyond necessity. When she emerged from the trenches in front of the Ghoul City, Cathy could tell from Willows look she looked as awe inspiriting as she felt. The guard stepped back instinctively and held her acerbic comments.

Marching towards the Washington monument, Cathy smiled when a pack of wild dogs ran from behind the building. When the first mutt reached her position, she howled back, and drove the muzzle of her gun down its maw. Another dog bit into her arm as she pulled the trigger, her boot coming down on the wounded animal's back.

Red laser fire from the Brotherhood brought down the rest of the dogs while she leaned over the animals she felled and ripped wet flesh from their bones. She brought the bloody meat to her lips, ripping off a glorious chunk and swallowing. The ticking of her Geiger Counter alerting her to rads and shook Cathy's bones. The resulting nausea calmed her enough to make her realize her actions.

Stepping back from the dog carcasses, she eyed one of the Brotherhood soldiers. Anonymous armor. She imagined ripping one of the helmets off and beating them about the head until the brains spilled out. This mixed with the memory of the dead behemoth and she imagined tasting both, raw.

The taste of fresh blood combined with the smell of putrification settling on her skin, caught Cathy unexpectedly. She stumbled towards one of the Brotherhood soldiers and fell to the ground. When she spinning sensation stopped, she felt weak, the threat of more vertigo lingering. One of the soldiers came forward and started to unleash the relay from her back and she felt too ill to protest.

"You're the girl from the vault," a woman's voice said. "You're here to fix the radio."

"I don't feel very good," Cathy whined. She didn't. Everything spun around her and she felt the out of control vitriol surge again. It took everything she had to fight down the urge to open fire on the female soldier.

"What did you take?" The woman asked.

"You probably don't want to know," Cathy groaned.

"From your behavior I'd say Psycho. Let's get you and the relay up to the tower top. We'll let you rest up there and after you can fix things. Take a nap and don't worry about doing anything right now. If you raise your blood pressure you might go violent again."

"You're being way too nice to me," Cathy protested.

The woman cradled Cathy against her hard metal arm and helped her towards the doors. The other guards didn't say anything about her predicament but she got the feeling they didn't approve. Their disapproval pissed her off, making her vision swim, forcing her to bite down the urge to kill. As if she could tell Cathy's mood, the female soldier soothed her with calm words and hustled both of them into an elevator.

At the top floor Cathy collapsed onto the mattress. The drug's effect wearing off she felt her limbs become limp and useless. She imagined the chemical upped the body's adrenal response and now she needed more or she wouldn't be useful for awhile. For whatever reason the Brotherhood didn't seem to care.

The woman pulled a blanket over her, the woman's face still obscured by the mask. Next she positioned the array on the other side of the room and Cathy watched her, bewildered by her kindness.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Because someone good speaks highly of you," she responded. "Someone I respect as a brother and superior. He told me to watch out for you-knew you'd do the right thing."

"I try," Cathy whimpered. "I'm not always a good person. I don't do psycho, so please don't tell him. I just needed something to make my brain shut up so I could fight."

"Fighting doesn't come naturally to most people."

It came as a surprise to Cathy to see the elevator. To her time raced and she'd been on the mattress. The gold interior appeared garish and cruel in contrast to the broken walls around her.

Stepping into the elevator the woman added, "Not being a good fighter means you're more of a hero than anyone will give you credit for. Takes a lot of strength to stand up when you ain't got it in you."

"Thanks," Cathy whispered. She felt a heavy weight on her chest that tied into the nausea and dizziness. She felt as if a string were tied to the center of her nose and if she moved it would rip a hole in her face. Vision growing fuzzy she began to lose the battle to stay conscious and drifted away-laying in a patch of sunlight let in through a hole in the monument.

"They brought in a badly hurt woman," Caleb started. "I told the doctor you might be able to help her. He's willing to let you try."

"A doctor? They have everything here, don't they?"

The liquid in the cup drained, Cathy kept her hands around it and felt the chipped porcelain cool. A stained line of old liquid or dirt shown on the rim, making the cup appear unsanitary. Of course her brother would bring her coffee in the nastiest mug in the Wasteland.

"Don't you have some kind of oath that makes you have to help people?"

"I'm not real worried about getting disbarred," Cathy answered. "I don't think the Medical Board is alive anymore."

"Please," Caleb begged. A gleam in his eye explained it all.

"How pretty is she?"

"That's not why I'm asking," Caleb lied.

Instead of showing her displeasure, she set down the coffee cup, looked around the room and smelled herself.

"I'm in no state to operate. I reek of subway tunnel and a locker-room."

"There are showers, but the Ghouls don't care about radiation-so the water is dangerous. You'll have to take some Rad-X before you get in. I'd take some Rad Away first, just to be safe."

As if he were anticipating what Cathy would want, Caleb pulled a towel out from under the bed and sat it next to her. The once white piece of fabric now had a dingy grey color, worn spots, and the edges frayed badly. She couldn't imagine bathing being high on a Ghouls priority list, as it didn't seem important to most of the Wasteland. This item had to be a luxury and she tried not to scoff at it. Even if he had cross purposes, her brother went to the trouble to get it.

Shoving a cup of horrible tasting soup into her hand, Caleb led his sister down the marble stairs and off towards a bathroom. Inside a few showerheads had been rigged using piping from the toilets nearby. Nothing indicated if the showers were for a specific gender and Cathy instantly felt uncomfortable.

A male Ghoul stood in one corner, refusing to look at her as began to replace his shirt. Cathy tried not to stare at the rotting flesh on the man's back, a combination of leathery browns and green. She couldn't imagine how an organism could stay alive and decay at the same time. Ghoul biology seemed fascinating but before she could remark her brother shoved pills in her face and she quickly took them.

Stepping aside so the Ghoul could exit the showers, Caleb indicated he'd stand guard in the doorway. In the vaults she'd had a private shower, so this public way of bathing seemed odd. Looking down at the dirt and various fluids covering her hands, she decided not to care. A quick soap off and she'd be clean enough.

Stripped of her clothes, Cathy noticed a fresh pair of pants and shirt on a stool next to where her brother set her towel. Whoever he wanted her to see must be important or he wouldn't be so attentive. The shower water proved cold, just like the water in Megaton and it motivated her to hurry up.

Shaking from the cool water, Cathy turned towards the door. From behind the molding her brother's eyes raked across her body, meeting hers in a fleeting second. Promptly turning around to avoid scrutiny, she felt deeply disturbed that he would look at her like that. Perhaps curiosity had gotten the better of him, they hadn't bathed together since they were small. The look on his face made her uncomfortable but she wanted to be clean to badly to let modesty win.

Shoving the soap into her hair she scrubbed out the hard bits using her fingers and rinsed off well. Satisfied she'd done a good job, she stepped out from under the spray and her radiation counter stopped ticking. Instantly her stress headache faded, so she dried herself and put on clothes. Her shirt sagged and she thought of the outfit she'd worn when she met Burke. Had everything that happened been only for comfort and he'd never be a good match?

She played this over in her head, then cast it aside. Refuse. Dwelling on past mistakes wouldn't change anything and might dredge up the violent thoughts she'd been trying to push out. The way the skull opened up on the dead mutant and a pool of blood gathered. A raider who had been shot through the eye socket. Swimming through details of a hundred gruesome deaths and coming back shell shocked.

Nothing transpired between the twins as Cathy exited the shower. Instead, she followed Caleb as he began walking towards a pair of wooden doors. The room housed a neat clinic, with an observation area, holding several wild ghouls. Cathy watched them with a new sensee of appreciation. They glowed bright yellow, as if radiation flew off them in a visible spark.

"Ferals are my specialty," The doctor said.

Another ghoul, but what did she expect. "Caleb told me you could help out with my patient."

She noticed how well intact his hands were as he pointed out an auburn haired woman passed out on a cot. Bandages across her head and arms spoke to her wounds and the work looked competent enough to make her wonder why Caleb wanted her. Her brother sat next to the woman, who was pretty enough for a mercenary-her profession made obvious by the guns and armor lying next to her in a pile.

"I want to know what happened." Caleb patted the unconscious woman's hair. "Can you wake her up and make her tell me?"

"It's not a good idea," The doctor responded. "She's in a coma. It is best she rests."

"I get the feeling something is terribly wrong here," Caleb said. "Please Cathy, will you rouse her? I need to know what happened."

Not liking where the conversation headed, Cathy looked over at the nurse for help. The female ghoul shrugged and returned to some paperwork in front of her. Frustrated, Cathy picked up the chart at the end of the bed and paged through it. Her brother probably wanted to run off and play hero but she couldn't lie to him that the woman could be safely woken up.

"This is a bad idea," Cathy said.

Slamming the clip board down, she tried to look at her brother with her most stalwart face. Hopefully he would see that she couldn't be moved.

"What if someone she loves is lost and we can help her? She could be a lot like us Cathy; maybe she got separated from her dad."

"She's a little old to be running around with Daddy," Cathy grumbled.

The doctor seemed to find this funny.

"She's not real old," Caleb whined.

"She's in her mid-twenties at least," Cathy sighed. "You need to stop falling in love with every piece of ass we come across."

"Do this for me. I did you the favor of looking the other way concerning your dalliances in Megaton. I could tell Dad all about it when we find him."

"If we find him," Cathy corrected him. "He could have met one of those giant Supermutants and not had the Brotherhood of Steel backing him up."

"It's always the worst case scenario with you," Caleb snarled. He grabbed the woman's hand and squeezed it. Her name said Reilly on the clip board.

"This woman could be a saint."

"She's a mercenary," the doctor interrupted. "I'm familiar with her group. They've come in here before with wounds. They are good to us but a merc is a merc."

"See."

She crossed her arms.

"Look, just do this one thing for me and I'll owe you a favor," Caleb begged.

The desperation in her brother's voice made Cathy frustrated. They needed to fix the radio relay and he knew it. Yet here he was, fretting over some unconscious woman he'd never even met before.

"Three Dog didn't send us out here to help her."

"I know that. I also know Dad would want us to help everyone the best we can. Can't you do it for Dad?"

Emotional manipulation at its finest. Their dad would want her to do as much as she could and she felt guilty at the idea of stopping her brother. Cathy shook her head and walked over to prepare a shot. The doctor watched her with interest, probably checking her skill and making sure she wouldn't kill the poor woman. When the chemicals were inside the syringe, she turned and looked at the doctor, who nodded approvingly. Walking over to the woman, Cathy injected her arm.

"It may take a few minutes for her to wake up. She'll be disoriented so don't expect a lot."

Once she woke up, the observation window distracted Cathy from the conversation. Reilly's freckles alone enslaved her brother. The question would be, what did she want and how could he facilitate this.

Trying to hide her annoyance, Cathy looked out at the feral ghouls running around in their cage. One opened his mouth, shoved his arms forward, and the radiation around him seemed to dance in little rainbows. The way the air warped and changed around him could be described as beautiful, if it weren't so dangerous.

"I'll save them. Don't worry," Caleb vowed. She had no idea what he'd just promised and didn't want to either.

The doctor moved towards Cathy after checking Reilly's vitals. She heard him tell her brother that Reilly should try to get some sleep. Rather than bother her, Caleb shot out of the room, his directive fueling his steps. Shaking her head, Cathy looked at the doctor who seemed sympathetic.

"She's sending him on a suicide mission," he said.

"I'd have to kill him to stop him," She responded.

"Hmmhmmm," The doctor hummed. "How is that idiot related to you?"

This made Cathy laugh. She couldn't argue with the man and she didn't feel the need to defend her brother at this point-so she let it go. Running her hands through her wet hair, she leaned against the side of the desk.

"I guess that leaves me to get the dish off that Lunar Lander in the museum."

"That's also suicide," The doctor added. "I'd follow a Brotherhood patrol back towards Megaton if I were you. You're not going to survive this."

"I have to," She said. "I'll never find Dad if I don't."

"You're a fool."

The doctor stepped away from her now. He busied himself with the chart at the end of Reilly's bed and Cathy sneaked out the door. Hurrying down the halls of Underworld, Cathy finally found a small shop with her brother inside. He had just completed a purchase when she walked in.

"Great," He exclaimed, "I have one more errand and we're on our way to save Reilly's men."

"We're not doing anything of the sort."

Mouth dropping open, Caleb looked behind him at the store clerk who shrugged. He stepped forward now, trying to raise himself up so he seemed taller and more impressive. Instead of buying into his crap, she sighed and took a step backwards. For some reason she couldn't look him in the face.

"Give me one good reason you're not coming with me," Caleb ordered.

"We need to get the relay and find Dad," Cathy said. "Those are two perfectly valid reasons."

"We can do it after." He argued.

Waving both of her hands in her brother's face, Cathy felt particularly pleased at how pissed she'd made him. He stared at her with nothing but resentment. She ate it up.

"Look, just help me out this one time," Caleb asked. "When we're done we'll get the relay and save Dad, I promise."

"No. You go and save your girlfriend's buddies. I'll go get the relay. Meet you back here."

"You're fucking insane," Caleb spat. "You could barely hold it together after those mutants at GNR."

"Funny, I remember blowing the head off the big one while you lay on your back in a fountain."

"I kept firing," he scoffed.

"You're rushing off to your death and I'm not going with you," Cathy explained. "I'll save our dad, with or without you."

"He probably doesn't need saving," Caleb sounded glib now. "He seems to have gotten to GNR just fine."

"I'm half him, so it stands to reason I have half his luck. So I'm going to go fix the radio while you run around trying to impress all the pretty girls in the Wasteland."

A huge sigh escaped Caleb's lips. The only response offered a cold "whatever" as he lifted his backpack to his shoulders and headed towards the stairs.

The woman behind the counter snickered and Cathy turned to look at her. The ghoul raised her shoulders in defeat, and then lifted up a book. Cathy's eyes wandered down to the red cover, prepared to run after her brother.

"You seem to have it worse than the guy in the book," The clerk said. "Take a copy, I got hundreds of 'em."

"Thanks," Cathy said, palming the book and pressing it against her stomach. "I should go after him, right?"

The ghoul shrugged. "Seems like you're both pretty set in your ways. Been a long time since I've heard people fight like that. You must care about each other or you wouldn't bother."

"I think we're both really invested in pissing the other one off," Cathy laughed. "Thanks again for the book."

"No problem," The ghoul answered. "He said he was going to the Ninth Circle before leaving. You can still catch him."

"I owe you," Cathy said.

Jogging out of the shop she found herself in the run down bar quicker than she believed possible. The wooden tables lining the room seemed to be held together by the curse words carved into them. The chairs were eclectically arranged and the patrons spoke in whispers. She turned to see a large ghoul standing in the corner. He afforded her a stern look out of the corner of his eye, his height making him more imposing than anyone else in Underworld.

Biting down her fear, Cathy walked up behind her brother as he stood at the bar. He spoke to the ghoul on the other side with a stern quality she recognized as his 'adult voice.' He seemed to be negotiating for something expensive and the man on the other side of the bar didn't seem interested.

"Two thousand caps is a little steep," Caleb said. "Knock it down five hundred and we'll both walk away happy men."

"He's worth twice that," The ghoul offered. "If you think bringing your sister in for the intimidation factor will help you, you're wrong."

Caleb looked over his shoulder, his eyes growing hard at the sight of her. He quickly looked back at the man behind the bar and scoffed at the insult.

"Ahzrukhal, would I toy with you?" He put his hand on his heart and tried to act wounded.

"I'm not that dumb. About your price-"

Ahzrukhal shrugged and poured a drink for a patron who'd stumbled up. Cathy noticed he put his thumb over the air hole on the spout, making the drink weak. She bit her cheek and looked at the guard staring at them and shivered. He seemed like he could see into her soul and didn't like it.

"I need five hundred caps."

Drawing her gaze back at Ahzrukhal, Cathy smiled a little and felt awkward. The bar owner smiled at her as if he wanted something. Whatever occupied the rotten human's thoughts; she couldn't discern and took a seat at the bar. The idea of going to the museum by herself started to make her anxious and she hoped Caleb would see the sense in letting Reilly tend to her own men. As she thought this Caleb slugged her in the arm.

"I need five hundred caps," He demanded.

Several of the bar patron's craned their heads to see what the commotion was. She blushed a little at the attention and turned to see Ahzrukhal laugh at her.

"Why do you need it?"

"Buying something," Caleb pouted.

"What the fuck can be worth two thousand caps?"

"It's not important," Caleb said. "I need it if we're going to complete our mission. Give me the money and I'll pay you back. You owe me a favor after all."

He didn't have to spell it out for Cathy to know what he was referencing. In her mind she wondered if anyone would care if she killed another asshole bar owner but she decided to be conservative. Pulling a bag of caps out of her pocket she started to slide groups of five across to her brother.

"It had better be worth it," she grumbled.

Caleb moved the money towards Ahzrukhal. The bar owner immediately began to recount. Cathy wanted to protest but the look from her brother told her to not to say anything. Biting her lip, Cathy turned to watch a couple of Ghouls playing poker in the corner, avoiding the face of the big one in the corner.

"You're one cap over," Azrukhal said.

He gently clinked the bottle cap against the table. Cathy looked down at the worn paint on top of it, the red Nuka Cola symbol almost unreadable. She glanced at Caleb, who nodded and she pocketed the extra money.

A piece of paper slid across the bar. Caleb grabbed it and shoved it in his jacket pocket it. The bar owner nudged his head in the direction of oversized goon Cathy'd been fighting to ignore. Slowly, Caleb rose from his chair and walked towards the ghoul.

"Why would he want to talk to that guy?" Cathy asked. "He scares the shit out of me."

"He just bought him," Ahzrukhal said.

All the blood drained out of her face when she heard these words. Slavery? How could her brother lecture her on the evils of killing an evil man and turn around and purchase a sentient being? Shocked, Cathy watched while the owner wiped down the bar. She heard her brother tell the slave he had a new master. The ghoul seemed confused by it but Cathy found Ahzrukhal's more enthralling at the moment.

"He's a slave." She whispered.

"He's more than a slave," Ahzrukhal responded. "He can say no, but he rarely does. Trust me girl, Charon earned what happened to him."

"How could you earn that?"

"Do you really want to know?"

Before Cathy could protest further, Charon pushed her aside to face his former employer. Ahzrukhal seemed unimpressed by this. He wiped the edge of a vodka bottle down before looking up.

"What do you want, Charon?"

"The smoothskin tells me you're no longer my employer," Charon spoke slowly.

"That's right," He confirmed.

The large ghoul shook his head, mulling this over briefly. Faster than lighting Charon pulled his gun and blew a hole in Ahzrukhal's chest. The bar owner fell to the floor, dead. Immediately the patrons ran away in frenzy. All the while Cathy stood over the bar, unsure of when she'd risen, and stared at the bleeding corpse on the floor.

Closing her mouth she looked at Charon and the large ghoul sneered at her. "I don't like you either."

"I-I-I-" The best response she could muster.

By this time Caleb's shock had worn off and he spanned the gap between himself and Charon. Her brother ran his fingers through shaggy hair and looked over at the corpse with fear in his eyes. He turned to look at the killer, back to the body, and then back at the killer again.

"Why on earth would you do that?" Caleb demanded.

"Azhrukhal was a bad man," Charon explained. "He committed unspeakable crimes and for decades all I've been able to do is watch. Now that I no longer work for him, I can make him pay."

"Holy shit," Cathy said over her brother's shoulder.

Charon narrowed his eyes at her, making Cathy want to vanish into the wall. Caleb interrupted the glare by waving his hand in the ghoul's face. Readjusting his focus, Charon stared at his owner, showing no amusement at the spazzy movements.

"He still has our money on him," Cathy said.

The confession startled Caleb, looking at his sister as if he'd forgotten her. As he stood silently, Charon once again pulled his shot gun and rested the muzzle on Caleb's shoulder. The barrel faced Cathy and she put her hands in the air, unwilling to move if it would offend.

"She's not any better," Charon said. "I can tell. Let me finish her off and spare you the heartache."

"You can't hurt her. She's my sister."

Turning to face the man whose contract he held, Caleb lifted his finger and began to lecture.

"You are never allowed to harm my sister. I'm your employer, and I'm telling you, never to do anything bad to anyone in my family. They mean way too much to me."

"I'm getting the caps then," Cathy said.

Charon watched her with grim hatred as she side stepped him, and moved towards the corpse on the floor. Her hands still in the air, Cathy leaned down and reached towards the pocket she'd seen Azhrukhal put their money in. She could hear Charon put his gun back in the holster, and when she stood with extra items in her hands, another look of recrimination came her way.

"He sold drugs," Cathy sputtered.

A vile of psycho fell from between her fingers onto the bar. It had a tapped on needle, covered by a piece of plastic on the tip. Her brother knocked the thing off the bar and she dumbly followed it as it clattered on the floor. Voices from the rest of Underworld grew, the energy of the place feeling volatile.

"We should get out of here," Caleb ordered. "I'm going to go save the rangers. You can do whatever you want."

"Fine. Your new friend hates me anyways."

"Kitty, promise me you won't go out into the Mall without me?"

"Promise," she lied.

"Good then." Caleb pulled his rifle from his back and cocked it hard.

Mute, she watched as he barked at Charon and ran towards the door. Voices rose as he headed out of the city but it didn't sound like anyone would prevent him from going. Probably Azruhukal had made enough enemies that no one would care about his demise.

Spinning around on her heels; Cathy looked at the upturned chairs and spilled drinks. The bar seemed electric in the wake of chaos and she debated what her next move should be. At last her gaze settled on a wall safe, and she fiddled with a key she'd found in Azrhukal's pocket.

"He's not fucking using it anymore." she whispered, and walked towards the safe.


	7. 20-23

20

"Can you hear me Capital Wasteland?"

It took Cathy hours to leave her patch of sun. The grime on her body baked into a putrescent shell. The smell began to grow pleasant, like flower perfume. At some point she woke up and installed the array, then fell back onto the mattress and slept more. The radio howled from the top of the machine but nothing would wake her up now.

"Those two kooky kids from Vault 101."

Pressing her lips together, Cathy realized they were chapped. She thought about a small jar of balm in the top left drawer of her work desk, back in the vault. Foresight hadn't been her friend the night she left, not that she had any time to think. The way her lips cracked and ached right now, she longed to smear the glorious goop on her mouth.

"From Megaton, to Girdershade, to Paradise Falls, to the Republic of Dave, we're coming to you loud and proud."

Running her tongue across the pink part of her face, she wondered what she should do about her current predicament. While wallowing in the sunlight, the bell on the elevator dinged and the sound of power armor boots clanged across the floor. The person stood over Cathy, and she looked up at them, tired. She cocked her head a little and tried to determine who had come for her. They all look the same in that armor.

"Your job's over," a male voice said. "You need to get out of here."

"I need some water and food," Cathy demanded.

She felt too lazy to stand up. Golden light covered everything and she knew when she left the tower things would be painful again. She couldn't face it and didn't want to. Sadly, the soldier remained unmoved by her dewy eyes and.

"You're taking up a bed. My men need immediate rest; the walk back to the pentagon is too far."

"Shit," Cathy muttered. "I see you guys really appreciate me fixing the radio."

The Brotherhood Soldier said nothing in response. As Cathy smiled at him she felt metal gauntlets jab into her skin, lifting her off the mattress. She stumbled on her feet, feeling dizzier than she would have liked from the exertion. She waved the prying hands away and stumbled towards her pack.

At some point she'd peeled off her armor and stood before this Brotherhood jerk in a pair of panties and a t-shirt. Her situation felt so vulnerable she couldn't get her pants on fast enough. Unfortunately, leaning down caused her head to spin worse and she stumbled backwards towards the central support column.

The soldier watched her trip, his reaction silent behind his metal mask. She pinched her nose and fought the heaving sensation. No need to get sicker. She ticked over her symptoms and realized what the culprit could be.

"I think I'm dehydrated," She muttered. "Would you sell me some water?"

"No," The soldier responded. "Our resources are not for simpletons like you."

"Fuck you, I fixed your radio!" Cathy yelled despite her headache. "That lady who helped me up here last night would sell me water. Why don't you get her to tell you that I'm a friend and not someone to treat badly?"

"What lady?" he asked.

"The one who helped me up here." She felt stupid and she hated it.

"There aren't any female ground troops stationed here until next week."

Placing her palm against the wall, Cathy braced herself as her head started to roll. No wonder her lips were cracked. She turned her head slowly and looked at the man, who snatched up her pack and helped her put it on her shoulders.

"She helped me," Cathy said. "You don't have to dislike her for it."

"Lady, I got no idea who you're talking about."

With her backpack secured, the soldier shoved Cathy towards the elevator door. Almost falling with every step, Cathy found a metal hand on her shoulder, keeping her upright during the elevator ride. At the bottom, he grabbed the handle on her pack, used it to propel her forward, and out of the memorial.

Falling flat on the her face, due to uneven dirt, Cathy groaned and tried to push herself back up. Her stomach churned and she dare not look back at the assholes running the monument behind her. Concrete walls would keep them safe from her fury. Her thoughts drifted to Underworld-the water would be irradiated but otherwise safe.

A small miracle accomplished with every footstep, Cathy hunched over and headed towards the ghoul museum. How she'd let herself get in this state, she had no idea, and assumed some of the dehydration came from the Psycho use. Her bowels shifted as she thought about it, confirming the drug had done something awful to her body.

As she rounded the walkway and stepped onto the sidewalk, she saw Willow on her rounds. The ghoul looked at her curiously, then hustled over with a worried look in her eye. Cathy tilted her hand up like one would drink a bottle of water and Willow chuckled.

The ghoul hurried over to her table and tossed her a half full bottle of water. The plastic landed just short of her fingers, crunching against the ground and rolling a few feet away. Falling to her knees she clawed for the bottle, ripped the cap off, and drank. The ticking from her Pip-Boy's radiation detector caused a headache to settle in her sinus cavities, the place where the vibration proved worst.

When she finished sucking down the water, she returned the container to Willow. She'd save it; people in the Wasteland saved everything. The need to salvage had changed something in Cathy too. The amount bottle caps the vault threw away made her cringe when she remembered it.

"Bring me more water when you can," Willow requested.

"Yeah, fine," Cathy responded. "Thanks for that, by the way."

"Happens sometimes. Easy to forget to take care of yourself when you're trying not to get killed."

"Don't I know it."

"By the way," she smiled. "You might want to get some animal fat for your lips. You can rub it in and it helps with cracking. All us ghouls use it for the dried out places."

The nausea hit worse when Cathy considered turning into a ghoul. It took her some time to realize Willow hadn't meant that but for a few seconds the horror of being a rotting zombie filled her with dread. She looked up at the corpse like face staring back and wondered if new ghouls suffered from depression.

Nodding her head, Cathy stood up and lumbered towards the door. She reached the knob when she heard Willow clear her throat. Turning, she noticed the woman leaning on her sniper rifle with a pleased look.

"Thanks for getting the radio fixed. Keeps me from getting bored. I love those Daring Dashwood stories. Anywho, your brother ain't been back. I'll make sure he comes to see you when he's back."

"That bitch Reilly left yet?" Cathy asked.

"Nah," Willow responded. "Should be on her feet in a few days though."

"Thanks," she said.

Willow took everything with an easy stride but the comment about Reilly genuinely amused her. Deciding not to put much thought towards why, Cathy pressed the doors open and continued her path towards Underworld.

Inside Underworld, Cathy headed straight to Carol's, ordered three bottles of water. She took them over to a side table and downed each one greedily. Satisfied that dehydration wouldn't plague her any longer; she headed down the stairs and bought a cheap dress from Tulip. Holding the worn pink fabric in her hands she came to the showers, pealed her clothes off, and stepped under the spray.

The Geiger counter, attached to the heavy machine on her arm, went nuts. The echoing noise, shaking her bones, beating her down like a sledge hammer, but she needed to be clean. She rubbed a homemade soap across her flesh. The pink places burned and felt alarmingly new because of the lye base in the soap. She turned and saw a naked Ghoul looking at her. His ruined body showed several long faded tattoos.

The man looked her up and down as if he had never seen a human woman before. Lust, mixed with appreciation, made him seem vulgar but Cathy ignored it and continued to wash herself off. If he touched her she'd break his hand and he had to know that. Once she'd scoured herself, she squatted down and cleaned her clothes.

Finished at last, Cathy pulled the pink dress over her head. The old world gown held a little too tight around her chest and hips but she didn't mind. Only a few ghouls would see her in it on the way to Carol's and she couldn't give two fucks if they thought she looked sultry.

At the top of the stairs, Greta met her with a bowl of soup. The Ghoul pushed the food into Cathy's hands and she drank it greedily, her radiation counter going off yet again. It tasted like shit but she'd never tell Greta that. Instead she slammed the bowl on the counter and smiled at her friend.

"A thank you for bringing Three Dog back to us," Greta said.

"You're welcome," Cathy responded. Her voice sounded scratchy and she noticed Carol look at her from a nearby table. At that moment Cathy's stomach growled and she realized she could eat more.

"Got any of those squirrel bits?" she asked.

"I'll have to charge you for them."

"No problem, just tell me how much."

"Half price," Carol shouted. She stood and walked closer, putting her arm around Greta's shoulders. "She's a good girl, friend to us Ghouls. We should do right by her."

This seemed to annoy Greta, who huffed and went over to the kitchen area.

"Guess it will be a minute," Carol said. "You don't look well. Did you get shot while you were out?"

"Thankfully, no. I took a bad blow to my leg, but it wasn't anything a stimpack couldn't fix. I'm afraid the whole thing made me really tired."

"I'd imagine so," Carol said. "Now to sit at a table, I don't want Gob's friend getting sick."

Hearing Gob's name made Cathy uncomfortable. She laughed it off and made her way to a table, hoping Carol wouldn't notice. As she took her seat, she pulled up a bio-metrics screen on her Pip-Boy. The green text informed Cathy she needed to take some Rad Away, badly.

Rifling through her pack, Cathy didn't notice a male ghoul taking a seat across from her. When she found the bottle she sat up and jumped in surprise. The ghoul frowned and she ignored him to pull a white pill out of the brown bottle.

"Name's Crowley," He spat.

Cathy looked him over, trying to remember the tears and features of the ghoul who'd ogled her in the shower. He had too much of a right ear to be the same guy, so she relaxed a little.

"Cathy," She responded. "You probably already knew that, though."

Opening his mouth to respond, Crowley paused as she saw Greta making her way over with the squirrel bits. Ignoring her companion to eat, Cathy threw all pretense of manners out as she gobbled down the gamey meat. He inhaled sharply as if he disapproved of her behavior but said nothing.

"I've been hoping a stranger like you would come around."

These words reminded Cathy of Burke and she felt her headache threatening to come back. She shoved a chunk of squirrel in her mouth and briefly looked at Crowley. At least she wouldn't spend the rest of the evening fucking this guy; the idea of ghoul flesh against her skin disgusted her.

"I have a little job for someone looking to make some money."

Cathy sighed. "In my experience people recruiting in bars never have little favors."

"Perhaps little is a poor word choice," He continued. "Profitable might be more accurate."

Chewing a particularly tough piece of squirrel, she sized up the man sitting across from her. The ghoul held a gentlemanly air with just a hint of scoundrel. Whatever he wanted would have strings attached or she'd be misinformed about something and end up in trouble.

Swallowing down her bite, she spoke. "I'm listening."

"There are some ghoul bigots I want to see eliminated." As he spoke, Crowley pushed a piece of paper across the table. She palmed it, letting him talk more before she looked at the names.

"I want these people killed," Crowley said. "Shot in the head. Like in the old zombie movies. I figure you see ghouls are people and would appreciate the irony."

"Murder ain't my bag," Cathy said. "I'm not really the mercenary type."

"How many mutants did you kill getting that array fixed?" Crowley sneered. "They are conscious just like we are. You can't tell me this is any different. These men have done everything they can to bring misery to ghoul-kind."

Curiosity got to Cathy, who lifted up the paper and scanned the names. The one at the bottom stood out more than the other ones. Alistair Tenpenny. She'd heard the name somewhere before but couldn't say where. Twisting the yellowed parchment, she looked at Crowley, who waited to hear her answer.

"Tenpenny sounds familiar."

"Not the easiest kill on the list, but you have no idea how badly I want him dead. Remember, you'll get a bonus for shooting him in the head. He did me wrong-a long time ago."

"Does he live in a town or something?"

"Jesus kid, you really don't know who he is, do you?"

"Nope."

An annoyed sigh escaped Crowley's lips. "He is the owner of Tenpenny Tower. Maybe you've heard that report on the radio about them not letting ghouls in? Anyways, it's a really posh palace and he built it by doing some evil shit. Time for him to pay."

Her head grew foggy and a memory pushed at the edge. Words came back but the face felt blurry.

"Tenpenny will have to understand," Cathy repeated. "Who said that?"

"I got no idea, kid."

He pushed his fingers though his green hair and turned to look at something. Pulling her lips tight, so the center part of the crack began to bleed, Cathy used the pain to help her focus. Her tongue ran along the edge, sopping up the blood. A scoff of disgust came from Crowley and she remembered who said it. Burke.

"Fuck," she whispered. "He works for him. Was it Tenpenny who wanted to blow up Megaton?"

These words made Crowley grow stiff and uncomfortable. He adjusted the tie on his faded shirt to avoid having to make eye contact. "Tenpenny's crazy. Wouldn't surprise me."

Having forgotten someone else might overhear her words, Cathy chewed on a piece of meat to shut herself up. Her blood mixed with the salty flesh and she felt a little bit like a vampire. She looked over at Crowley, who acted ready to give up this enterprise.

"I'll do it," She said. "Even if it is so I have a reason to see Burke again."

"Charles Burke," Crowley said.

"Charles."

She felt stupid finding out her lover's first name from a stranger, and scolded herself for telling him anything. Still, the damage had been done. He seemed to take her shock as confirmation and he pushed his greasy fingers through his hair again. Exhaling curse words, he seemed to grow angrier with each passing second. His whispered vitriol forced her to lean in-wanting to know if it applied to her or not.

"What would a girl like you want to see Burke for? Man's Tenpenny's stooge, so long as Tenpenny can keep paying him. A smoothskin like you should hook up with one of those Brotherhood dicks and leave Burke alone."

His words left Cathy cold.

"I'll take that under advisement. You'd better make killing his boss worth my while."

"Don't worry about the money kid, but I'm going to need proof you did the job. Each one carries a weird looking Key as a trophy. Bring it back to me and we'll settle our scores."

"Sure thing."

Something about Crowley's proposition didn't sit well with her but she didn't really intend to follow through. What she really wanted was the excuse to go see Burke. Hadn't he written that he missed her?

"Kid?"

Blinking, Cathy focused on the ghoul.

"What?"

"Be careful. Tenpenny isn't to be trifled with, even if you know his right-hand man."

"I'll remember that."

Standing up from the table, the ghoul put his hands in his pockets and casually strolled out of the bar. Cathy watched him go, before fishing in her bag for a cap. She placed it on top of the plate, returned her Rad Away to her pack, and looked at Greta with an expectant smile.

The old ghoul woman jumped up from her chair and came to retrieve the plate. As she lifted the chipped white dish from its resting place she asked Cathy, "Can I get you anything else, dear?"

"Willow said fat will help my lips."

"I was going to suggest that," Greta said. "On the house, 'cause it doesn't cost me much and you can't carry it with you."

"Greta?"

Turning on her heel, she looked down at Cathy with a concerned look. Cathy met her eyes and they shared a moment of weariness between each other. Despite her disgust at ghouls, Cathy respected the hardened old coot in front of her. "Know anything about Tenpenny tower?"

"Racists." She hissed on the S. "According to the radio, of course. Speaking of the radio, Three Dog's been broadcasting a message for you and Caleb. He says you should look in Rivet City."

"Where the fuck is Rivet City?"

She felt exasperated at the idea of traveling more.

"When you're ready to go I'll show you on your Pip-Boy map, free of charge."

"Thanks. Do I owe you for another night?"

Greta shook her head, whisking the plate back to the kitchen area. With this news Cathy rose and moved over to the bathroom stall that served as a hotel room. She locked the door behind her, her eyes drawn to the empty cot belonging to her brother.

The pillow on the palette still had the indention of his head. Worry pounded in her heart now. She might not ever see him again. He might get himself killed helping out Reilly, and for no good reason. Tossing her bag in the corner, she climbed onto the bed, cradling her pistol in her palm.

Laying awake, listening to the inane conversation of customers in Carol's Place, Cathy tried not to think. Despite her best efforts her eyes grew heavy and sleep settled in as she thought a million horrible thoughts. Reliving the last few days, she realized how numb she'd grown to most of it. Even the prospect of finding Burke failed to stir any deep emotion in her. Right now consisted of going through the motions because she had no idea what else to do.

Perhaps this numbness lead her to say yes to Crowley rather than telling him to fuck off. She couldn't imagine hunting people down and shooting them in the head for caps. She wouldn't do it, nor would she tell Caleb about it. Instead she made a resolution to get word to Burke, even if she traveled to Tenpenny Tower to see him.

With this firm in her heart she looked over at the lonely pillow again and everything slipped out of her mind. Why did he have to leave her to her fate? Didn't he know she needed him to save her from herself?

21

"One of Reilly's men came to get her. Your brother sent word that you should meet him in Rivet City."

The prospect of crawling through the ruins alone didn't appeal to Cathy. The ghouls were adamant about the easy route to Rivet City being to follow the coast from the Lincoln Memorial. Apparently Rivet City had been constructed out of a giant boat, left floating on the coast for two hundred years. How it hadn't sunk a hundred years ago, no one knew.

Staring at the ship now, she couldn't offer any explanation. Shifting to and fro on the waves, half of a rusted hull appeared to be barely in working order-The other half having been cut off and left to sink into the mu-d. In between these two pieces existed the bridge Cathy stood on, waiting to cross.

She pressed her lips together, the animal fat had helped with the chapping, but she would need more before nightfall. She had no idea if her brother had made it to Rivet City already and she wondered why she had come. Her brain kept turning to Burke, in his posh housing at Tenpenny Tower, and wondering if she shouldn't go to him. He loved her, didn't he?

"It doesn't matter." The words kept springing to Cathy's mind as the bridge to Rivet City lowered. She needed to find her father for Caleb's sake. At that point she could make a decision about her future. Walking across the bridge she smirked at a man holding a glowing plasma rifle at her chest.

"State your business," he announced. She recognized the voice from the intercom.

"I'm looking for my father, Dr. James Irving. I'm going to meet my brother and talk to someone in the research lab. You might have heard about us on the radio."

Lowering his gun, the man relaxed.

"You are one of the kids from the radio. I trust you will not cause any trouble."

"Last thing I want is more trouble."

The guard laughed at this, leaning his weight on his Plasma Rifle. Cathy tried to look him over subtly, noting how acutely perfect his face looked. He had a rounded nose, apple cheeks, and a pointed chin. He reminded her of Siegfried in an Arthur Rackham drawing-only instead of curly blond locks he had a side part and nut-brown hair. He seemed to be checking her out, too.

"That's a nice gun," Cathy commented. "By the way, names Cathy Irving."

This seemed to embarrass the guard. He fidgeted before remembering his plasma rifle. Cradling the rifle in his arm, he smiled at her with a warm confidence Cathy rarely saw on Wastelanders. It seemed like a high quality piece of machinery. Living in the Wastes made her appreciate guns more. He seemed to notice her attention.

"She is my pride and joy. Everyone around here calls me Harkness."

"Guess I better call you Harkness, too," she winked. "Is that a custom handle?"

"Good eye. I upgraded her using parts left over from the old military occupants. Makes the grip more comfortable."

"Gotcha," she responded. "Looks you keep her up good. I'm dreaming of running into something plasma. They cost a lot at the shops."

"Indeed," he responded. "Your rifle looks well-used but sturdy."

"I don't have a nice custom handle like that," Cathy gushed. "I try to swap out better parts when I run across them. Brotherhood's are always in better shape than mine."

"The Brotherhood is the Brotherhood, you know?"

This made both of them laugh. Harkness swung his gun onto his shoulder harness and opened his mouth to say something, when one of his men shouted behind him.

"Get off. We need to close the bridge."

"We had better listen," he said, "We do not want molerats running up on us. It happened once and the man could not walk for a week afterwards. The molerat's teeth severed the tendon in the back of his leg."

"Guess its hard being an easy dinner."

She stepped off the bridge and next to Harkness, watching the grated metal lift up and swing over to the side. They both stood in silence and she tried not to be so affected by his presence. In her mind Cathy's other lovers tried to push themselves forward, angry at the attention, but she ignored it in favor of enjoying herself for a little bit.

"I guess I better show you around Rivet City."

The invite made her gush.

"I'll probably bump into you again." She said, wishing it she sounded smoother. "Where would I go to find a place to stay while I wait for Caleb?"

A frown spread across his lips. She hated it instantly. A man this pretty should never be disappointed.

"Who is Caleb?"

With a cute grin, so she didn't come across as cruel, Cathy used her fist to bump Harkness's arm. "My brother, silly."

"Yes, you said he would join you."

Visibly calculating something, Harkness seemed lost for a moment. Suddenly he stood up straighter and bowed slightly. "If you will excuse me, I have rounds. You can find room and board at The Weatherly Hotel. Garry's Galley is famous for his mirelurk Cakes and is located in the market place. I suggest staying out of the Muddy Rudder, she tends to attract trouble."

"Roger-Wilco," Cathy answered. A sly smile crept out as he nodded his before leaving.

Watching him go, Cathy held her breath, hoping he'd turn to look at her. When glanced over his shoulder, she felt her heart leap and waved despite herself. Harkness seemed to chuckle and waved back before heading up a metal stairs. She closed her fingers slowly as she remembered Burke didn't look back at her when he left and she still didn't know if she'd ever see him again.

With a heavy heart, she opened the door to the Market and fell into a rush of people. All around her merchants hawked supplies, while dozens of people selected merchandise. She hadn't seen this many people in one place since the vault. Add in the metal walls and she really missed home. She walked down rows of goods, before heading up the stairs towards a sign reading "hotel."

On the landing she bumped into an Asian woman scurrying up from the deck. The blow landed both of them on their backsides. The woman looked over at Cathy in fear. Fortunately, the flirtation with Harkness left her in a good mood and she offered the scared woman her hand.

"You alright?" Cathy asked.

The woman seemed to size her up; shrinking away from the direction she'd fled. Desperation was an easy read at this point and this woman throbbed with it. She put her hand around the woman's shoulder and pulled her towards the doorway they were both moving towards. At the top, she moved into an abandoned room, made sure they were alone and waited for an explanation.

The woman picked at the middle knuckle on her right hand, a red welt where her fingernails had pinched thousands of times. The doctor in Cathy took over and she snatched the woman's hand to look at it. The woman choked back a shriek, causing Cathy to lift an eyebrow in consideration.

"I'm a doctor. Trained in a vault. You gotta quit doing that or you'll get an infection."

"It calms me. I got bigger problems than an infection anyways."

"I can tell."

"Look Doctor-"

"Cathy."

"Cathy," The woman said. "Like the girl from the vault on the radio?"

"Yeah, that's me."

All the fear and worry she had been carrying melted. She stepped in closer, giving her an easier view of the wound on her hand. The flesh looked irritated but not sick, so she let her hand go. The sadness buried in this woman's dark brown eyes brought her to the decision that listening would be best.

"My name's Mei. I ran into you trying to get away from Sister. I think he's here from Paradise Falls to take me back to Tenpenny."

The mention of Burke's boss caught Cathy's attention. She put her arm around Mei and walked her over to the corner so they could both see the door easily. "What is Paradise Falls?"

"You really are from a vault. It's the slaver city. Everyone who lives there are either a slave or a slaver and I know Sister from when I lived there."

"You knew him as a slave."

She nodded. "They sold me to Tenpenny-"

The woman shuttered at the name. Cathy squeezed her shoulder and tried to give reassurance. The news set her own heart beating and she hoped the woman thought it part of her sympathetic response. In truth the idea of slavery disgusted her and had been part of why she'd help put that beast, Moriarty, down.

"I'd rather die than go back to him," Mei whispered.

"I've heard of him before," Cathy said. "Some ghoul's willing to pay me top dollar to shoot him in the head. He sounds like a pretty bad guy."

"He's a monster." She whispered this, as if speaking of him to loudly would cause him to materialize. "The slaves he doesn't work to death maintaining the building, he uses as his personal toys. He dressed me up like a doll and did sick, sexual things to me. The worst were when he'd blindfold me and share me with the men in the tower. I couldn't say no, I couldn't tell them stop, and they would do whatever perverse act they could dream up."

Tingles crept from Cathy's arms from where she touched Mei. The woman repeated this information with a blankness she understood all too well. Normally Mei probably muddled from day to day, trying to keep her fear at bay. Seeing Sister had sent all her defenses crashing to the floor.

"He stopped feeding me at the end," Mei resumed. "He said good dollies should sit on the shelf and never ask for anything. I was dying when I jumped off the tower. I broke my leg, but I'd stolen a Stim from his doctor and the drugs mended it quickly enough. He'd loaned me out to one of his meaner friends, who lived on the third floor. I used the wall to slow my descent, but God must have smiled on me, cause I should be dead. I found a molerat carcass with some meat on it not long after. Deathclaw must have gotten it. Raw meat is disgusting to me now but I hadn't eaten in days."

The memory of ripping apart a fresh dog carcass came back to Cathy. It took her a few minutes to return to the room with Mei, the bitter taste of blood boiling on her tongue. Mei hunched down now, her arms and legs threatening to ball up. Rather than let her lose herself in memories, Cathy cradled the woman against her chest. The two rocked in place, an agonizing question forming on the tip of Cathy's tongue.

"What about Burke?" She asked. "I met him in Megaton, did he ever hurt you?"

"I have no idea," Mei sobbed. "I don't know half the men Tenpenny forced on me. I just don't know. I know he did jobs for Tenpenny and he'd left before I did. Tenpenny said he would blow up the bomb in Megaton-I heard your brother disarmed it."

"He did and I gave him the plans to do it. I'm so sorry all this happened to you, Mei. We need to see to it that you're safe. I have a place in Megaton you could stay at."

"My home is here. Harkness knows about me and promised to keep me safe as long as I stay in Rivet City. He's a good man and he knows I think Sister is a slaver, but I don't have any proof. He can't do much without proof."

The woman began to sob and Cathy cooed as she petted her hair-remembering Carol doing the same thing not long ago. They both slumped to the ground; she assumed Mei's legs had grown weak with terror. Life could be terrible and the broken down woman in her arms proved it. Worst of all, her story made Cathy wonder what kind of man she'd tied herself to. Burke probably used slaves, even if he didn't own them. Not to mention he had to know about Tenpenny's peccadilloes and did nothing to stop it.

The small woman in her arms pulled at her shirt. Cathy patted her on the back, wanting to make her feel better but at a loss as to how.

"What will it take to make you feel safe?"

"All the slavers to die," Mei sobbed.

"I can't do that," Cathy said. "I could give you enough caps for a gun and some ammo. You should have one anyways. Would that help?"

"It would," Mei whimpered.

"Hell, what can you handle? I've got a few I pulled off some raiders in the tunnels."

"I know how to handle a pistol from childhood but not a rifle or anything. I'm pretty little; it would probably kick me on my ass anyways."

"I got a ten millimeter you can have," Cathy said. "They don't fetch much on the market anyways. I'll make sure you have enough ammo to hold your own in a fight. I'll toss in knife too; it's good to have both."

Pulling off her pack, Cathy dug around and pulled out a small gun with a spare clip full of bullets and a hunting knife she'd taken off a raider. She turned the gun in her hand and offered the handle to Mei, who stopped crying long enough to take it. Next came the knife, Mei opened the blade a little, then rubbed her finger across the eagle carved into the handle. Once she slid over the spare clip, Mei attached everything to her belt and looked over at her new friend with a smile.

"Avoid that Sister guy," Cathy ordered. "I'll see what I can do about proving he's a slaver. I'd like to see him kicked off the boat in everyone's best interest. Do me a favor, though; don't tell anyone I gave you that. I don't want it blowing back on me if you do something stupid."

"I promise I won't tell anyone. Thank you so much Dr. Irving."

These words made Cathy feel extremely sad. "Just Cathy, my father's Dr. Irving."

"Sorry, Cathy."

Assisting Mei up from sitting, Cathy checked her pack and let the small woman head out the door first. Before she could leave the room Cathy heard Mei say "excuse me," to someone and walked out to see Harkness standing in the doorway with a grim expression.

"Mei managed to get a gun I see."

"I imagine she needed to feel safe from someone nefarious."

"Allegedly nefarious."

"I guess you'd like some proof, huh?"

Pointedly avoiding Cathy's gaze, Harkness looked at the wall.

"I never like seeing a hysterical person with a weapon but if it relaxes her, good. I would love to see the source of her worries kicked off the ship."

"You and me both." Cathy gave her biggest, cheshire grin.

A breathy laugh escaped Harkness and he nodded her way before continuing his rounds. "Stay out of trouble."

"You make it hard but I'll try," Cathy teased.

The way he shook his head from side to side made her feel lighter. She made her way down the corridor, looking for the Weatherly Hotel. The signs posted overhead seemed to take her around in circles before she found the compartment hosting the hotel. Inside, a stately looking blond woman welcomed her.

"Vera Weatherly." The woman introduced herself with a hearty shake. As Cathy squeezed her hand, the name resonated in the back of her head. After a few second Cathy slapped her leg and grinned.

"Aunt Vera," she said, wagging her finger at the confused blond.

"I'm not your Aunt, darling."

"No but you're Bryan's."

"How do you know my nephew?" Vera asked. "I haven't heard out of his father in weeks. With the radio reports about smoking coming from Grayditch, I'm starting to worry."

"Your brother's dead," Cathy said. "I'm sorry. Bryan's still alive though and living in my house in Megaton. We paid someone to watch him while we went looking for our dad, but meant to come here at some point and tell you."

"Oh my god."

Taking a seat in a large arm chair to her right, the hotel owner looked up at Cathy with watery eyes. Another crying woman today, this felt insane. "That means Bryan is all the family I have left."

"Good thing you're alive then," Cathy said. "I know he'd love to come stay with you."

"Of course," Vera said. "It's my duty."

"You can send word on one of those caravans." I'll help you pen the letter. Nova's the name of the woman taking care of him."

Wiping tears out of her eyes, Vera Weatherly slowly moved over to a robot working behind the bar. The Mr. Handy greeted her and asked how he could help.

"Give me some paper," she ordered.

Cathy stood over the crying woman, offering words of comfort and helping her address the letter. Satisfied Nova would get the gist of what needed to happen, she decided to leave Vera to mourn. She put her money down for one of the rusty rooms before requesting to be notified if Caleb showed up. As she walked towards the door she bumped into a short man with dark hair.

"Watch it," he hissed.

"You were in my way."

"Sister, please don't start anymore fights," Vera called from the bar.

The man raked his eyes across Cathy, shot her a perverted grin and stepped inside the hotel. Watching him from the hall, Cathy decided she hated Sister and would do everything she could to help Harkness find a reason to kick him off the boat.

The room she'd been given contained pock-marked filled walls, a rotting old world bed, small vanity and an empty pitcher and glass set. She turned one of the glasses over and poured the last of her purified water into it. She hadn't used a glass since Megaton and it felt sophisticated to have this small luxury.

She leaned back on the bed. Doing nothing while she waited for her brother to show up didn't settle well. Not with a slaver sleeping in the room next to her. Cathy swished the water and told her brain to mind its own business and let Harkness deal with it. At the same time she hadn't been successful at shutting her brain up thus far and had no reason to think Sister would make a mistake dumb enough to reveal his intentions.

Fatigue nagged at Cathy and she crawled between the sheets, snuggled in between the mattress lumps and nodded off. Hours later she woke up-disoriented by the strange walls. When she remembered being in Rivet Cathy her thoughts drifted back to Sister. The words Colvin said to her about God sending her as a tool of wrath felt important right now. She could destroy anything, according to him, if God felt it needed being done. To her heart slavers existed as proof evil dwells in this world.

The clock on her Pip-Boy told her evening came while she rested. Most Wastelanders were well into a bottle of whiskey at this point. She considered joining them, forgetting her foolishness and waiting for her brother like she should. Then she remembered promising Colvin to pray at the chapel if she made it to Rivet City. To be worthy of the chapel she needed to atone for killing Moriarty and getting Sister kicked out seemed like the perfect way to do that.

Shucking her equipment, Cathy put a small pistol on her belt and tucked a knife into her pocket. Making sure she had enough bobby pins, she headed out into the hall and prepared to pick Sister's lock. His voice rose from the Hotel lobby as she walked down the hall. She'd seen him emerge from the door down the hall from hers and felt confident he wouldn't be going to bed right now.

At his door, she waited for a guard to turn down the hall. With a prayer no one would discover her; she set upon the lock, twisting her screw driver and bobby pin around inside. Sweat beaded up on her lip as she heard it click, just in time to hide her tools as the next guard made his rounds.

The city policeman eyed her wearily as he walked by and Cathy responded with an impish grin. She felt victorious when he passed without knowing she had committed a crime. Once he passed, she stood with her back to the knob, balanced the screwdriver between her fingers, and stepped into Sister's room.

The interior contents were not unlike hers. He didn't seem to have any possessions out in the open, so tried his footlocker and found it unlocked. She sorted through a few changes of clothes, a back pack, a little ammo, a few caps, and a holotape.

Frustrated by her lack of evidence she placed the Holotape into the slot on her Pip-Boy, preparing herself for the nausea that would follow. A man named Eulogy Jones proselytized on the tape. He spoke of a runaway android slave and a bounty on the head of the mechanical man. The biology of the person didn't seem to matter to Eulogy, who ordered Sister to find the android at all costs.

Voices in the hallway prompted Cathy to stop the tape. Shaking off the dizziness, she stood near the door and listened with relief as the people passed Sister's room. For several seconds she listened for footsteps, then made a beeline for her own room. Safety restored, she finished listening to the tape, removed it from her Pip-Boy, sat it on her table and thought.

She'd give it to Harkness, of course, and he would toss Sister out. Yet the android story intrigued her. Apparently the robot appeared so human he could disguise himself, hiding amongst humans so well even his creators wouldn't know him. She tapped the tape on the desk, made a note to check it out later, and went to find Harkness.

22

Worthless clouds obscured the moon, carrying a sticky humidity that only teased of rain. While the stars tried to peak back out, Cathy stood on the deck talking to Harkness. The captain of the guards listened to the holotape over her Pip-Boy's speaker, rubbing her shoulders to help with the sickness making her cheeks green.

Shaking his head, Harkness exhaled and her neck grew warmer at its base. He walked around, looking Cathy in the eyes and she looked away. In his eyes she saw anger and a question. Neither of which she wanted to address. At least he'd toss Sister out now. As she looked back up to see what he wanted to do next, Harkness turned and she saw a figure standing on the bridge. Cathy knew the wanderer by the way he stood but Harkness didn't. The buzzer sounded below and a voice called up to the Captain from the lower deck.

"Boy named Caleb wants in."

Harkness looked at her again and she smiled weakly.

"Let him in." he called back. "Tell him his sister will meet him at the Weatherly in ten minutes."

"He has a ghoul with him."

Raising an eyebrow, Harkness looked at Cathy for an explanation. She groaned, having forgotten about Charon. Scratching the back of her head in an effort to stall him, Cathy considered asking Harkness to park the ghoul on the docks. Then again being left out in the open like that might kill Charon and Caleb would never forgive her. She'd need to explain this in a way that made the ghoul sound less frightening.

"He's a side-kick kinda," Cathy explained. "He only hurts evil people. Caleb has a contract on him, got it off some dude in Underworld."

A stern look came from her friend and she shrugged to show she didn't know what else to say.

"He owns the ghoul?"

"From what I understand that's not exactly correct. He follows the orders of whomever holds this piece of paper-brainwashed I guess."

"I've heard about it." Upon speaking Harkness's eyes grew murky and he got lost in thought for a second. Snapping out of it he looked down at the duo. "I don't like it. It's slavery; I don't care how you dress it up."

"The guy my brother got him from seemed like a real dick. At least Caleb will treat him like a free person who tags along for some reason. He hates slavery, really he does."

"I take it your brother can be a bit of a hypocrite."

"Can't we all?"

A heavy sigh heaved itself from Harkness's chest. "I don't like this," he mumbled. Leaning down, he shouted orders at his men. "The citizens won't like a ghoul on board in the first place. To keep the peace, tell him to keep the Ghoul in his room and that I'd better not hear about him mistreating the man. Contract or not he's still a human being."

"Roger," the gatekeeper responded.

"Thanks," Cathy offered.

"I should be the one thanking you. I am not going to, though. I do not want to know how you got this tape, because I think the answer would upset me-You do not strike me as the seductress type."

Inside her mind, Burke's hand traveled up her thigh while they sat in Moriarty's Bar. She shook it out of her head, casting the thought out into the bay to drown. Trying not to let more in. It never turned out well when she gave in to remembering things.

"You might be surprised," She whispered.

"I probably would not because I know what people are capable of. I can imagine if I were a young person thrust into a foreign land, cut off from the only life I had ever known, I might make some stupid mistakes. Nothing is coming to the forefront of my memory, but I have the strong notion that I have made terrible errors before. Cathy, not going to judge you for your past, being a better person now, is all that matters."

"I appreciate it," she said. "Do you know anything about the android mentioned on the tape?"

Harkness's head tilted to the side while he thought, his chin tilting up more than most people would allow. Eventually he righted his head, the glow returning to his eyes and his features softened. Squinting, he seemed to notice she'd moved back, but made no emotional reaction to it. His jaw dropped and his skin pinched in an awkward way as he looked out over the water.

"I think Doc. Preston mentioned something about receiving a holotape looking for a robot. He has a clinic near Dr. Li's if you are interested. Also, two men showed up earlier today from the Commonwealth. People say they are looking for a runaway android. They have not caused any trouble, so I have not interrogated them."

"If they cause trouble?"

Furrowing his brow, as if the question bothered him, Harkness took on a cold tone. "People who would rob another of their freedom are the lowest of the low, in my opinion. Rivet City does not allow slavery and it never will. If those men move to arrest anyone, I will see to it they have plasma burns where their guts use to be."

"Are you always this passionate?" His words made her feel shaky and she liked it.

The clouds parted just enough to cause a sheen off Harkness' perfect lips. His chin lifted up for a second and he stepped closer to Cathy. In a lower voice he warned, "A sweet young thing like you, better be careful what she asks a dirty old man like me."

"You don't seem that dirty," Cathy giggled. The comeback sounded stupid but she let refused to acknowledge it. "I think I've met worse fellows before."

Her failed flirtation made Harkness remember her age. He stepped back and adjusted his pants. Lifting his head to glance at the haze around the moon as he shook his dark brown hair out and sighed. Before Cathy could say anything else, he waved his hand dismissively. "You should go find your brother before he gets lost looking for you."

Caleb, the eternal cock blocker.

"Sure," Cathy sputtered. "If you need any help with Sister, let me know."

"My guards will suffice."

Crossing his arms, he surveyed the land beyond the ship and Cathy knew she needed to leave. Silent, she headed towards the stairs and descended them, hoping Caleb had enough brains to make it to the hotel by himself. A few minutes later she encountered him flirting with Vera.

Covered in dirt, he turned and smiled at Cathy. He had bruising around his neck and a black eye, yet his face lit up when he saw his sister. Automatically he extended his right arm and Cathy stepped toward him slowly. She stood in the crook of his arm and he closed it around her, squeezing her hard and crushing her against his chest.

"Missed you," he mumbled.

Unwinding herself she scoffed at the wounded look on his face. "Take a bath and I'll give you a better hug."

Gesturing towards Vera he grinned. "Did you know she's Bryan's aunt?"

Already changing the subject, avoiding the fact he'd abandoned her in a strange place to fend for herself. No 'good job' for fixing the radio and killing dozens of mutants solo. Disappointment left her bitter and resentful. If he noticed, Caleb didn't show it; instead he continued talking to Vera as if Cathy hadn't showed up.

During the period where she pretended to be interested in whatever Caleb was talking about she began to notice how badly he smelled. A powerful odor mixed with the smell of old alcohol and she had a nagging feeling he'd gotten lost in an old sewer section of D.C. She stepped away from her brother and waited in one of the chairs for him to stop talking.

Meanwhile, a commotion started in the hallway near Sister's room. She could hear Harkness telling him to get out and several guards rushed past the open doorway. This shut Caleb up, who turned and peeked down the hall. The commotion grew louder as the guard's dragged the slaver up towards the top of the ship. Caleb turned and looked at Cathy, something mischievous playing across his face.

"These guys don't play around," he said. "You'd better watch out around here."

Squirming in her seat, Cathy felt his words grate at the lower part of her spine. She hadn't seen him in days and still he had to talk to her like she was the worst thing in the Wastes. This made her rise up and shove her brother as she passed by. Why not follow the citizens up towards the deck? Her brother yelled for her and she assumed he would follow.

Out on the ruined metal deck, a wind had picked up, sending a bitter chill into the collected people. Eventually Harkness and members of the council emerged at the top of the boat, grim faced and trepidatious. Words passed between the group but Cathy couldn't hear what had been said. A hand landed on her shoulder and she turned to see her brother standing behind her.

Sister stood in the middle of several men. His hands had been bound together and he stared defiantly into the crowd. Murmurs began to spread about him being a slaver. Other words followed in succession: scum, monster, evil. Caleb caught this wave of dissension and rode it. Turning to the right he spoke with a vocal woman, sharing his outrage at a slaver trying to infiltrate the boat. After a few seconds they whipped themselves into frenzy, screaming about how slavers should be put to death.

On the edge of the crowd stood Mei, her arms pressed together and her face full of worry. She locked eyes with Cathy, nodding knowingly. A voice rose over the crowd and Harkness moved his arms up and down, trying to directed the crowd. He begged for silence and a hush passed over the people.

"Slavery has never been tolerated in Rivet City," he shouted, "and I am not partial to changing that. Evidence has been turned over by an interested party, providing Sister came here hunting a slave and trying to set up commerce between us and Paradise Falls."

"Kill him," Someone cried out.

"Fuck slavers," another voice yelled.

The crowd churned like the sea behind them, a violent wall of unceasing movement. People offered to do it themselves, ending a life for destroying so many. Years of suffering and fear caused the people of Rivet City to belch up forgotten abhorrence. Standing in the middle of the crowd, Cathy began to regret turning the information over. As if Harkness could hear her thoughts, she caught the head of the guard's smiling at her, and they held still while the world went crazy.

"He has not enslaved anyone, yet." Harkness yelled out. The people grew quite again.

"Because he has not harmed anyone, we will show clemency. The ropes will be cut from his hands, allowing him to swim away from Rivet City, assuming he can avoid the Mirelurks below. Normally we would leave him to drown but I want the slavers of Paradise Falls to hear word of his failure, so they never come to us again."

Cheers sounded, faces contorting, illuminated by torches and fission powered flashlights. She saw her brother amongst them, pumping his fists into the air and calling for the punishment of a man he didn't know. One of the men from The Council walked forward with a knife in his hand. He cut the rope around Sister's wrist, giving the slaver enough leverage to spit in the man's face. The Council member wiped the fluid from his brow and nodded to the guards.

Grabbing Sister by the shoulders, two men lead him to the edge of the boat. The wind flared up, catching the clothes of the slaver as he looked over his shoulder at the mob. A cruel glare came from his eyes and he stepped forward before the guards could shove him, falling into the water bellow.

Instantly the crowd moved to the edge of the boat, to see Sister's fate amongst the waves. Mei pushed to the front and when Harkness noticed her he nodded approvingly. You could see the relief on the woman's face as she looked over the side- monsters exorcised for now.

Scanning the crowd for her brother, Cathy noticed Caleb on the edge of the boat, watching the slaver swim. She shook her head and noticed Harkness speaking with an Asian doctor. The middle-aged woman faced Cathy, her eyes wide in shock. This made Cathy shrug and the doctor gave her the saddest smile she'd seen in her short life. A few words were exchanged between her and Harkness and she made her way back inside the boat with the rest of The Council.

Walking over to Cathy, Harkness stood beside her quietly as he watched the crowd dissipate. In a few seconds Caleb joined them, cocksure and full of glee.

"Now that's justice," Caleb gloated.

"You think so?" Harkness frowned, unimpressed.

"I know so," Caleb said. "Slavers are scum. He's lucky you didn't let him drown."

Ignoring Caleb, Harkness turned and softened his lips as he looked into Cathy's eyes. She could see Caleb shift on his feet, being ignored by someone in his old line of work would bruise his ego.

"Doctor Li noticed you. She knows you want to talk to her and said to come by the lab tomorrow at ten AM."

"Doctor Li knows where our dad is?" Caleb asked.

"I have no idea," Harkness responded. "She said she would talk to you, though."

"Thanks," Cathy said.

Smiling at her with a bolder sense of assurance, Harkness tipped his head forward as if he were wearing a hat. Behind him Cathy's brother made a big deal of showing his disgust. Sensing something, Harkness turned and looked at Caleb quizzically, making her brother swing from foot to foot uncomfortably.

"I'm going to go to sleep," Caleb blurted at last. "I'll see if I can get Sister's old room so you can have some privacy, Kitty."

Cathy felt her skin rankle at the sound of her nickname. Her brother grinned at her like an idiot and ran for the stair before she could yell at him. Whatever he gleaned about tonight, he seemed to have missed the fact she'd ratted out Sister. Probably for the best her role in this didn't become public knowledge, it sounded like Paradise Falls had power.

Putting her idiot brother's problems out of her mind, Cathy noticed Harkness still staring at her. He seemed gentle around her but when he talked to others he grew stern and authoritative. A weird something crooked up the corner of his mouth, revealing a dimple at the edge of his cheek.

"You don't know how pretty you are, do you?" he asked.

Not knowing what to say, Cathy turned away from him to try catching her thoughts. When she looked back, his lips were parted in a feline grin. He took a few steps forward, standing inches from her, looking down at her. She opened her mouth to speak, closed it and shook her head no.

"I did not think so," he responded. "It makes no sense for me to find you appealing but I do. You are quite beautiful in the moonlight, just as you were covered in tunnel muck and standing on the bridge platform sixteen hours ago."

His weird wording made Cathy snicker. Memories of Burke flooded her thoughts but so did Crowley and Mei's warnings about Tenpenny being a monster. For a moment she saw only Burke's lips under that grey fedora, asking her to blow up Megaton. He would murder thousands of people with no remorse and yet he loved her.

Meanwhile, Harkness stood over her, a boyish grin on his handsome face. She struggled to put voice to this, to warn him she'd already given herself to an evil man and that she had tainted her soul with some nasty worm long, thin and dark. Still, she couldn't tear herself away from that pair of deep brown eyes staring into her own.

A few people walked past them on the deck, turning away when they saw their faces. She hated herself for feeling this way, for being so fucking fickle. Harkness saved strangers from slavers and kept his community safe-she'd fucked the man who tried to seduce her into being a mass murderer. She needed to get away from him, save Harkness before the worm crawled out of her and laid eggs in him.

A pair of hands landed on her shoulders. The skin felt clammy and dry. Spinning, she stopped with her body pressed against his, leaning back in his arm. He looked into her now, very much the older man, and then he kissed her. She melted under the touch, pleasure erasing all of horror and doubt she'd bottled up inside- replacing it with a temporary rush of lust.

When the embrace broke, he pressed her head to his chest. She listened intently, positioning her ear so she could hear his heartbeat. When she couldn't find it she blamed his uniform, her ear filled with a whirring sound from somewhere below. Another cool gale swept across them and Cathy shoved Harkness back, a wounded look coming across his eyes.

"I can't do this," she said. "It feels good, and I want to, but-"

"There is someone else," he sighed. "It makes the most sense. You are a beautiful young woman, fresh from a vault, new to the world; I imagine all of the men you meet are eager to have you. It is hard to see you and not want to stand beside you, free and on the side of right. He must be a good man to have won you."

"I don't know that I picked a good man, but I owe him to break it off before I'm with someone else. He says he's going to come to me and take me someplace better than Megaton."

Something about what she said made Harkness laugh. "There are not a lot of places better than Megaton. He either lives here, Tenpenny tower, the Commonwealth, or he is in the Brotherhood. A word of warning; if he's not from here, I would not count on his society accepting you."

She didn't know the truth in what he said but recognized it. This made her afraid. Truthfully she knew so little about Tenpenny tower; maybe they wouldn't want her there. Maybe you had to be a victim or a rich lord to fit in. Cathy didn't want to be a victim.

"Thanks for the advice." She managed, now more unsure of herself than ever. "I wish things were different."

"If something changes, you know where I am. Understand, I do not always pursue women like this. You seem lost, Cathy Irving, I guess I hoped I could show you somewhere you could make a difference. You have already made life better for the Wasteland and to Mei Wong."

"Someone told me God moves through you when you try to do the right thing." This felt feint and stupid in the wind.

"I do not know about that," he laughed. "I do know there is something special about you. I can see it in your brother too but I doubt he looks as good in a dress."

Pursing her lips, Cathy looked at Harkness and wished she wasn't such a fool. She could see him coming up with a reason to leave now so she broke the quiet. "I should get to bed; I think Caleb will have us running all over hell and back tomorrow."

"Sleep well." His eyes burned with sadness. Something distant and lost coming to the surface and she wanted to reach in and fix it. Make him feel better about things. "I think I will be up for a few more hours. I do not sleep a lot, as it is, and tonight has me on alert. If you need me, I will be walking the halls."

"You sleep well too, when you do. I know I feel better that you're here." This response made her feel like a stuttering toddler, trying to coax a cookie from her dad.

"Good bye Cathy," he bid her.

She nodded and headed towards the stairs. She didn't hear his feet behind her, so she turned and saw him standing, watching her leave. An uncomfortable pout formed on her mouth as she considered running to him. Before she could do anything stupid, he shook his head, prompting her to turn and head toward her room.

23

"I knew who you were when I saw you up top last night," Dr. Li said.

Her eyes flicked between the twins, a painful look every time they rested on Caleb's face. She reached out as if she would touch him, then quickly pulled her hand back and grew distant. Something seemed off to Cathy and she didn't like it.

"I thought I saw the ghost of Catherine," Li explained. "Part of me wondered if she came to chastise me for refusing to help James. Then I remembered you'd arrived here and knew it had to be Cathy. It must have been hard for you growing up in her shadow, sharing the same name."

Her words struck something in Cathy and felt compassion for Dr. Li. "You have no idea."

"Your brother looks just like James," Dr. Li laughed again. "I can't get over it. How did they make two children who look so much like them? It doesn't matter; you probably want to know where your father is."

"Please," Caleb begged.

Dr. Li moved to inspect a clipboard, the pleading look in Caleb's eyes disturbing her. Unfortunately he never noticed things like this and the cruelness of it made Cathy want to smack him.

"I wish I could be more help to you," Dr. Li continued. "I don't really know. He came to me talking about Project Purity; he wants to revive it after nearly twenty years. I told him he's an idiot and he vowed to prove me wrong. I forgot how idealistic your father could be, how passionate."

She lingered on 'passionate,' her body betraying what she would never admit to the twins. Cathy pitied her and imagined Dr. Madison Li nobly accepting her father meeting someone else, while holding on to the memory of their affair to motivate her to keep working with him. Did her dad know she still held a spark for him?

Then she realized he'd left her and her brother in the Vault, with the Overseer who always hated them, so he could work with his old lover. This shaky, grouchy, middle-aged woman seemed symbolic of his betrayal and it made Cathy's ire grow.

"What the fuck is project purity?" Cathy growled.

"Try not to sound so vulgar." Dr. Li scolded her. "No one wants to help a foul-mouthed young woman."

This made Cathy even angrier. "He ditched us in that vault for this bullshit, ruined our lives. I have a right to know."

The added hatred took Dr. Li unaware. She peered over her notes at Cathy and any pretense of familiarity severed itself. Putting her papers down, the doctor straightened herself, preparing for a fight.

"I'm sure James told you about it. He and Catherine devoted their lives to the project. I know he constantly whispered that stupid bible verse to you two while you were in her belly."

"I am the alpha and omega," Caleb cited.

Cathy interrupted him, "Water of life, yadda yadda yadda. Mystical nonsense has no bearing on reality."

Both Dr. Li and her brother seemed hurt by her callous words.

"They had everything to do with Project Purity," Dr. Li explained. "Your father wanted to purge the tidal basin of radiation, bringing pure water to everyone in the Wastes. Free, clean, water for everyone. The Brotherhood of Steel would have helped distribute it, but the mutants attacked the Jefferson Memorial more and more every day. When Cathy, your mother, died, he gave up. Took you two and joined the Vault. I never thought I'd see him again."

"Only you did," Caleb added.

This brought the faintest of smiles to Dr. Li's lips. It took her a second to gather herself before she could continue.

"I sent him on his merry way. I'm working on my own research. Rad-free food. I'm having a lot of success and my work is keeping this community going when nothing else would. I can't leave everything I have here and let Rivet City rot."

Folding her arms tight, Cathy found herself growing angry at Dr. Li. "Any idea where my Dad fucked off to, after you told him to piss off?"

Fury played across Dr. Li's face as she leaned in to confront the petulant teenager. "Listen, missy, I am a very busy woman and you are wasting my time. Seeing how the future was supposed to play out, the only reason I'm being helpful is that I feel mildly responsible. He said something about the base of operations at the Jefferson Memorial. You can try there but I'm going to warn you, it is probably overrun with supermutants."

"What isn't?" Cathy asked. "Do you have any idea how many of those bastards we killed getting here?"

A look of pity came from Dr. Li. She seemed very aware the two had come out of a vault; unready to face the world, yet she didn't do anything to help. Caleb shot his sister a look, the kind he used when he wanted her to shut up and let him talk. Cathy had no problem letting him take over the interrogation.

"You have to forgive my sister," he started. "We lost our home and the last few weeks have been a whirlwind of violence and chaos. I'm afraid she's not taking it well. Has nightmares and stuff."

"I can't help you," Dr. Li added, but it sounded more like pleading with herself.

"Don't expect you to," Caleb said. His smile seemed to melt Li a little and she nodded her head in response.

"Can you do me the favor of showing me where on the map the memorial is, please?"

Tossing a pout at the doctor after he asked, Caleb successfully melted the doctor's façade and convinced her to help him. She moved towards him, grabbing his Pip-Boy and mumbling something about the general direction. She stood closer than Cathy thought appropriate, as she pressed buttons and put a map marker on his arm.

When they'd finished Cathy leaned back against an old pre-war computer server and crossed her arms. Dr. Li looked away, unable to face her for some reason. This made her want to wound the woman in any way she could.

"So how was the future supposed to be?"

Her brother's head snapped around and he glared at her. An order to stop but she wouldn't let him have his way. Dr. Li seemed colder, unwilling to discuss this. She turned to another clipboard, and Caleb moved to collect Cathy to head back towards their room.

"No." Cathy shoved her brother's arms away. "I want her to answer. She knew mom, so she automatically knows more about our lives than we do. Dad's been lying to us for years and it's time we found out the whole truth."

Sighing, Caleb leaned on the other side of the server and motioned for Cathy to go on.

"Who were you to Dad, really?"

This made Dr. Li slam her clipboard down at the table and turn half profile. She laughed sadistically and then came to face her accuser. Regretting her decision to needle the doctor, Cathy debated leaving.

"James's second wife and your other mother."

That wasn't what either twin had expected to hear. They looked sidelong at each other, open mouthed and flabbergasted.

"There was a group of us," Li continued. Probably assumed that if she had to tell a little she might as well tell all. "We were all researches of some sort. Five at the core. We all slept together, worked together, dreamed together, and promised to help raise each other's kids. Everything out here is easier in a community and we were going to start a commune full of genius scientists."

Trying not to fall over, Cathy felt the shock numb her body. Gone were her smart-alecky responses and general contempt. Instead she found herself locked onto Dr. Li as if nothing else in the world could ever fascinate her again.

"Young people are wistful like that." Something sultry exited out of the corner of Cathy's eye and she knew she told the truth. "We thought we could change the world, one genius baby at a time. It was fine when it was the four of us, then James met your mom. She never really liked the arrangement but we were friendly enough that she didn't mind me being part of the unit. She joked that one of you really belonged to me."

A sweeping glance moved from twin to twin, settling on Cathy with a cruel smirk. "Looking at you now I don't know if either of you would have deserved me. When she died I was ready to raise you as my own, but he wouldn't have it. He tore us apart and now he's come back begging like a dog at my door. The two other members moved off long ago and I've been lonely all these years. So much for our commune and the happy family that could have been."

"Holy shit, lady," Cathy said.

Dr. Li took a perverse amusement from her words. "Will you call me 'Mommy Dear' now? Come to me for the maternal love you never had?"

When neither stirred in response she visibly grew bitter and slunk back towards her work. A few of her assistants seemed to be whispering in the back and Cathy wondered at her relationship with them. With her back to the twins, Dr. Li's shoulders slumped down and depression seemed to hang in the air around her. Had she hoped the answer would be different?

"I didn't think so," Li added. "Why don't you get out of my-"

A loud bang came from the stairs overhead as door opened and an ancient man entered the room, followed by a younger looking bodyguard. Dr. Li groaned as she saw the two of them and stepped away from the table. It made Cathy feel a little guilty to see more emotional turmoil thrust upon the woman. The old man descended the stair with a surprising spryness and the twins watched him curiously.

"I don't care about your robot, Zimmer." Dr. Li snarled.

"It's not just a robot," Zimmer protested. "It is so advanced it puts those bucket of bolts to shame. You should rethink your position and help me look for him."

A single finger rose from Dr. Li's hand in answer to Zimmer's proposal. This caused the old man to scoff and straighten his brown suit jacket. Refocusing his attention on the twins, he smiled and tried to act cordial.

"I say, you two don't look like you're from around here."

"We're from a vault," Cathy murmured. Really she wanted out of this place but the word robot had caught her attention.

"Interesting," Zimmer stepped forward and inspected the two before continuing. "Explains the Pip-Boys and the soft quality of your faces. I don't suppose you'd be interested in helping me find my missing property."

"A robot," Caleb said. She could tell he wanted out of here, too.

"Very good," Zimmer praised. "Not just a robot, though-an android. A robot so advanced you wouldn't think him a machine at all. He thinks talks and acts just like you or me."

Cathy was enthralled.

"Is he warm to the touch?" Cathy asked. "I don't see how you'd compensate for the heat a human gives off. Unless you somehow tied cooling and heating into a circulation system, spreading deceptive warmth from the maneuvering of muscle substitutes-like in the human body. Either way, what you are proposing sounds insane."

Zimmer's patronizing tone wasn't lost on Cathy. "You seem like a smart girl but I don't want to bore you with the details. All I want is for someone to find him. Don't talk to him, or tell him what he is, come directly to me and let me deal with him. I promise you, if confronted he would prove dangerous."

"Okay," Caleb said. A look passed between Cathy and him and she could tell he didn't care about finding this man's robot.

"I don't see why, though," she continued. "How smart could a robot be?"

"This one feels a good deal of guilt about his past and probably wiped his memory to forget what he has done. I don't want him becoming unstable if he realizes he's not human."

"A machine that feels guilt," Cathy mused. "Is that really a machine then?"

"I think there for I am?" Caleb quipped.

For the first time, in a long time, Cathy found something her brother said amusing. Unfortunately, Zimmer didn't seem to share in their joviality.

"You're as clever as you are annoying," He said. "The fact is, A3-21 is the most advanced machine I've ever made. Other robots, like my bodyguard here, are replaceable and easily reproduced. But A3-21 is unique and I need him back as soon as possible."

"I'll see what I can do," Cathy promised.

Zimmer glared at Caleb, probably expecting a similar vow. Her brother nodded his head and took the queue to go.

"Thanks for thinking of us," Caleb added. "We'll let you know if we find out anything."

"You might start with that Doctor Preston," Zimmer added. "He might know what you need."

"Thanks," Cathy said, waving her hand to try to speed their exit along.

Remembering Harkness told her about Dr. Preston receiving a message about the android, she made a note to stop in the clinic before going anywhere else. Unfortunately, Caleb seemed impatient and tugged at her shirt, snapping her out of her thoughts. She had exited the lab and had been hovering in front of Doctor Preston's door. Her brother held a smug look on his face and she wondered what he wanted.

"We need to look for Dad, not robots."

"Don't fucking start that with me," she hissed. "You were the one who ran off to save Reilly's men while I went through hell fixing the relay. It is fucking horrible dealing with those mutants and you have no idea how much I struggled to get here."

"You think you're the only one who has to kill them?" Caleb sneered. "I had to mow down dozens of them to get to Reilly's men. I got a bullet in my side; luckily one of the rangers was a medic. You're not the only one having a bad time."

"I didn't ditch you to chase some tail."

A fist landed on the metal next to her head. Her brother stood there, panting, and it took her a second to realize he'd almost struck her. Ducking under his arm and moving away, she held her hands up in the air to signal defeat. Sadly he didn't seem impressed and his face grew red.

"I'm sick of how you talk to me," he shouted. "I didn't leave you to chase some girl. I fought hard to save the lives of good people. Plus, she has a boyfriend-by the way-not that it makes a difference to you. You probably think I'd sleep with both of them or something, like I'm some polygamist dick-wad, just like Dad."

"You need to step off," Cathy warned. "Go look for Dad, and get the fuck away from me. You obviously need more time to process what Li said and on top of that you owe me one. Meanwhile I'm going to stay the fuck away from you and look into this android thing."

"Why?" His disgust sunk into her cheekbones and corroded away her skin. "Don't you want to find dad together? Show him he should have told us the truth from the start?"

"Make him explain why he had two wives, only to abandon one, just like he abandoned us?"

Having voiced the thing neither of them could say, both twins stared down at the floor and decided to let this go. Being mad at Dad wouldn't change the past or bring him back. Dr. Li could rot for the rest of her lonely life. They needed to put their family back together.

"I want to find dad," Cathy broke the silence. "But I have a funny feeling this is going to be another dead end. He seems to have a lot of places to go and isn't slowing down for us. At some point, someone must have told him we were looking for him, because Three Dog constantly announces it on the radio. This is assuming he is listening to the radio like he did when he first arrived in Megaton. If he really gave two shits, he'd have met us here."

"Maybe something happened to him."

Despite her best efforts, tears rolled down Cathy's cheeks. Realizing he'd finally hurt her, Caleb reached forward to try and comfort her. Shoving his hand away, Cathy shouted "No!" catching the attention of a passing guard.

Using her sleeves as napkins, Cathy tried to get her emotions under control. All the things she'd done wrong in the past few days: kissing Harkness, running off without Caleb, getting involved in the whole Sister thing, caused her more pain than she admitted. Her brother would never understand this, his moral fortitude kept him blameless and everyone else weak. She didn't need to be patronized more.

"I want to stay here," She said. "I've had enough running around. The memorial isn't that far away and you can come get me when you're done. By the time you get there and back, I'll be done with the robot thing."

"Dad's going to be sad to see only me," Caleb said.

Shooting her the pout he used on Dr. Li, Caleb loomed over his sister. While his face melted the doctor's heart, it did nothing to Cathy. She knew her brother too well to be fooled. Manipulation did nothing to endear him to her.

"Dad ditched us in a vault, nearly getting both of us killed. I think he can deal with waiting a little bit to see both his kids again."

"Fine," Caleb sighed and the illusion of sweetness vanished. "You won't be happy till you get even. I hope this doesn't leave me catching a bullet in the brain because you wouldn't help."

To drive his point home Caleb turned and walked off. She decided to end the fight and let him go. Instead of looking back to see if she would be okay, he turned the corner, eliciting a shout from a startled citizen. Cathy took a deep breath, wiped the rest of the moisture from her face and pushed the door to the Rivet City clinic open.

Inside a middle-aged man sat in a chair reading a book. He sat it down long enough to take a good look at Cathy then resumed his reading. The man she knew as Doctor Preston scanned a few lines before muttering, "Let me finish this paragraph, you don't seem to be bleeding to death."

"I think I'll live," Cathy said.

The doctor chuckled as he placed his book on the counter. "You're pregnant?"

His words shook Cathy. Could she be pregnant? No, probably not. Because she trained as a doctor she knew the vault put birth control in the water, taking the residents off of it when they scheduled the next round of births. That's why Butch, Amata, and all the other kids' birthdays were close together. That she and Caleb had been born six months after everyone should have made her suspect something.

"Do I look pregnant?"

"You look fine," Dr. Preston offered, "That's why I guessed pregnancy. I've found people react better when I ask that than they do if I ask about STDs."

Curling her nose at his words, Cathy looked out in the hall, half expecting to see Caleb returning for more trouble. When no one showed up she refocused on Dr. Preston. "No, nothing medical. I came to ask you about the holotape you received. The one about the android."

"Is that all?" Dr. Preston laughed, "Here I'd started to worry I would have to do some work. I'll give you the holotape, didn't make any sense to me, anyways. Truthfully, I shouldn't have listened to it. The envelope came addressed to Pinkerton but he hasn't had a lab here in years."

"Who the hell is Pinkerton?"

Dr. Preston picked up an otoscope from the table next to him and started looking at Cathy's ears. His behavior irritated her but when she tried to protest he hushed her.

"Might as well make the most of you coming in," he said. "To answer your question, Pinkerton was one of the original researchers on the boat. He and Li had a disagreement about ethics and he left. Some people say he died but I've heard enough talk to think otherwise."

"I guess they wanted his help finding the robot, just like they want Li's."

Switching to Cathy's eyes, Preston used the light on his tool to make her pupils dilate. When he'd successfully completed this task he sat back down in his chair and acted satisfied.

"Seems to be the gist of what I've heard," he said. "I'm afraid Pinkerton left a few years before I got here."

"Do you think the android came here looking for tech he left behind?"

"Listen to the tape. Seems someone thinks Rivet City used to be able to redesign faces."

Scratching the bridge of her nose Cathy looked away in annoyance. This conversation didn't give her much to go on. Dr. Preston seemed glad for the company, so she didn't feel bad bothering him, but he also didn't seem interested in being involved.

With a solemn look Cathy thanked the doctor. He nodded, reached out to catch her attention as she turned and left, "You're not, you know."

"I'm not what?" Cathy asked.

"Pregnant."

"Thanks," Cathy quipped. "I didn't think I was."

"That's good," Preston responded, "Because you're not. I guess your baby daddy will have to hold off on accepting the title."

"Let me guess," Cathy asked, "When no one's around you use your medical supplies to build a still."

"Bath tub gin is an old family tradition," Dr. Preston winked.


	8. 24-27

24

Most of the day had been spent drumming up information on where Pinkerton moved his shop. Cathy decided early on, looking for the android would prove fruitless if she didn't seek out the man who helped him change his identity. Most people were hostile to the idea of Zimmer's robots being able to fool them. She'd been told to 'get fucked' or laughed at more times than she liked.

Towards evening she'd run out of energy and bought a Mirelurk Cake from Gary's Gallery. A girl close to her age worked at the shop, offering up dinner with a significant side of gossip. Apparently she had fallen in love with a priest named Diego but couldn't be with him because of his vows. The girl seemed to want help but Cathy didn't care enough to offer it.

Her meal completed, Cathy paid for the food, thanked the server and started up the stairs to her room. The day hadn't yielded much information but that could change tomorrow. As she headed up Cathy noticed a strange woman looking at her. Shaking her head, she attributed it to exhaustion and resumed her path.

Further down the hall, a tap on her shoulder caused Cathy to spin around. The staring woman stood directly behind her, motioned for her to be quiet, and pulled her into the room she'd spoken to Mei in. Inside, the woman turned angry, her eyes narrow and dark.

"You need to stop sticking your nose where it isn't wanted."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Cathy's finger twitched at her gun, causing a similar reaction from the woman.

"Androids deserve to be free and respected, just like humans do."

"That's what you're talking about," Cathy felt relieved, her hand moving free of the weapon. "Call my search intellectual curiosity but I'm not going to turn the guy over to Zimmer. I want to know him, know about him, and find out what makes him work."

"He's a fully conscious being," she sneered. "Not something for you to dissect. Talking like that makes me think you're no better than Zimmer."

"I don't want to dissect anyone. I want to know what the answer is, that's it. Zimmer isn't going to stop until he finds the android and I want to do what I can to help."

"Then give this to Zimmer." The woman produced a small gadget from her pocket and handed it over to Cathy.

A serial number stamped on the side of a long, rectangular, computer device proved to burnt to read. A few wires stuck out of the thing, giving the impression it had been yanked free from its host components. The light weight and general disrepair made the gadget seem worthless-scrap pulled from the D.C. rubble.

"What is it?" Cathy asked.

"A brain component from an android who didn't make it." The answer saddened the woman. "We try to help them escape The Institute but sometimes we're unsuccessful."

"I see," Cathy responded. She clutched the piece of fiberboard close and tried not to think about the ramifications.

"Give it to Zimmer and he should leave."

"Can it really be that easy?"

A confused look sprung for the woman. Cathy realized she had clutched the circuit board to her heart and tried to seem tougher. She shook her head at the woman and tried to play off the earlier statement.

"We'll know you're loyal based on how you act."

"Is there another way to judge loyalty?"

A forced smile spread across the woman's face as she turned and left. Cathy fidgeted with the component. Having nothing else to do with it, she shoved it in her pocket and stepped out into the hall. Wandering into the upper levels she realized if she kept going she'd bump into Harkness and turned in the opposite direction.

Meandering about soothed her nerves, so Cathy continued moving through the halls, glancing in the rooms as the doors opened. Eventually she came to a doorway with no hinges attached. Stepping inside she discovered rows of chairs with a podium in front of them. In the center of a wall pieces of wood were been tied together with rope to make a cross. The space had a solitary feeling and Cathy felt compelled to come in.

Taking a seat at the chair she looked up at the cross and remembered Colvin's desire for her to find Rivet City's chapel and pray. This must be the place. Unsure how to meet his request, she tried to force an inner dialog with an unseen deity but found herself at a loss.

"Dear God, help me make things okay," proved to be the best she could manage.

The voice of an old man came from behind her. "Not the worst request made of the Lord I've heard."

The bench barely stirred as a small body settled next to her. The way he shifted his hips, hesitant to bend his knees, she read him as arthritic. Despite the pain he beamed with a radiance missing from so many in the Wasteland. She found this confusing but realized he had a kind quality and decided to enjoy it.

"I've heard worse prayers," he repeated. "You can take comfort in that. At least you want to help people, God likes that."

"I don't feel like God likes me very much," Cathy said.

"Oh, but he does!" The old man declared. "He loves all of his creations, even the more difficult ones."

Instantly she thought of her brother and took a deep breath. "He has a lot of difficult children. I wonder how he feels about androids."

"You're the second person I've heard talking about androids," The old priest commented. "The other fella looked to have been around as long as I have."

"He wants to enslave the android. I want to help him know who he is and stay safe from Zimmer. I found out a doctor used to live here who might know who the android is, but I don't know where to find him."

"I have been around a long time, why don't you try me?"

The old man seemed trustworthy. Despite his words Cathy found herself fascinated by his face. The wrinkles around his eyes pressed up when he talked and he seemed generous and gentle. His hands planted on his knees, keeping his spine straight while he sat. Occasionally he'd lean forward and wince and she wished she could do something for him. He noticed her looking but ignored it, making a polite grin, reminding her to answer his question.

"I have to find someone named Pinkerton."

A deep bellied guffaw came from the old priest. He patted Cathy on the back and stood carefully.

"He's in the other side of the ship. He moved there after a fight with Doctor Li. I have no idea if he is still alive but people would notice if he moved his shop again."

Excitedly flying out of her seat, Cathy hugged the old priest to her. The old man coughed uncomfortably and she worried she'd hurt him with the thoughtless brutality of her gesture. Despite his discomfort, her face lit up with joy when she looked at him and Cathy felt like she could take on the world.

"How do I get to the other side of the boat?"

"There is a passageway, but the door is locked on the other side. I hear there is a way through the bottom but you have to swim. It's dangerous with all the Mirelurks down there."

"I'm pretty good with a lock," Cathy said.

"That's nice, dear. Getting good at locks makes me think you should say a few more prayers in penance for past misdeeds."

His words sobered Cathy. She felt awkward. Could he sense she'd been bad and expected her to atone? Watching him closely now, her hand hovered hesitantly over her heart, wondering if the radiation made him psychic or something else equally foolish. Despite her weird behavior the priest never lost his sweetness and directed her towards the door.

"If you see Pinkerton, Tell him Father Clifford says it isn't healthy to be alone for so long."

"Will do," Cathy said. "I promise not to tell him you told me how to get there, though."

"It won't matter. Not many people know where he is anymore. About a year ago a strange young man from the north asked me about Pinkerton. I suspect he knows I'll send the right person his way."

Cathy's eyes grew wide in realization. Could he be hinting at what she thought he was hinting at? He nodded knowingly and headed towards the back of the ship, saying a prayer low on his breath.

"Father Clifford," She shouted. "One more question."

"Yes, my child." If he felt frustrated, she couldn't tell.

"How do you know when you've met the person you love?"

Amusement played at the edges of the wrinkles on Father Clifford's face.

"I'm afraid I've always been a priest and can't offer advice from experience. I have listened to thousands of confessions and let me tell you something, no one will ever love you like the Lord. If that doesn't satisfy you, I suggest you ignore the songs you hear on the radio. If you have to move a mountain to find your man, you are looking in the wrong place. The person who loves you will be there when you need them the most.

"I appreciate it," Cathy said thoughtfully.

"I wish I could help more," He responded. "Have a good night, dear girl."

Resuming his prayers, Father Clifford retired to his room. Cathy exited, her feet moving in time to his hymn. She felt strangely optimistic and hope filled her heart. Resolute in her decision, she faltered a moment and thought about Harkness, good and just, then pressed the thought between her palms and squeezed it out.

She could tell when she was getting close to the broken part of the boat by the cold wind that seeped in. The air felt fresher on this side as a result and the walls held a sickening dampness. Green rings held to the pipes on this section of the boat and the steel flooring felt particularly brittle. She could see several places where patch jobs had been made to salvage holes.

Despite knowing the general area, it took her about an hour to find the door to the outside and about twenty minutes more to pick the lock in the darkness. The entire time she could feel her heartbeat in the tips of her fingers, the tissue thicker than normal. As the wind whipped around and caught her hair she thought about her father and brother alone in the darkness, and assured her worried brain they would be alright.

The broken end of the ship proved darker and more run down than the occupied side. A light flickered on in the distance and Cathy took that as a good sign. Venturing forward, she noticed a red light flashing on the floor. A beeping noise increased and she gasped as she realized what she'd found.

Expletives escaped Cathy's mouth as her body flew across the room and landed against the bulkhead. Everything shone brighter than she thought possible. Vague memories of Caleb laughing at her as she begged him to stop plagued her into waking.

Her ears rang and she tried to push the sound away, until she realized how futile the effort. The strange feeling that more had passed crept into her brain. She focused on the room and then white gurney on which she laid, medical equipment, and another shriveled old man standing across from her.

"Good," he said, "You won't stink up the place if you wake up."

"Pinkerton." Cathy said.

She didn't know why she said this but the stranger responded. "Yes."

"Pinkerton."

"Yes."

"Pinkerton."

"You keep saying my name like it's going to change things," he responded. "You're either stupid or that blow did more to your brain that I thought. Odd, I took a number of scans, it seems okay."

Blathering on, oblivious to the fact Cathy wasn't listening; Pinkerton pointed at several machines and made passionate comments. Her vision swam in and out of focus as she realized the brain he commented on belonged to her. Even stranger were the MRI's he kept indicating and remarking upon.

"I have a funny shaped thalamus," she observed.

"You can tell that from the picture?" Pinkerton examined the scan closer. "Maybe you aren't the dullard I thought. Come to think of it, I did give you an awful lot of Med-X."

The lights flared around Pinkerton when she turned her head and Cathy watched tracers move across her vision. One of the lines shimmered and she had the distinct impression it wanted to flirt with her. She reached out at it, to make it stop moving.

"Definitely to much Med-X," he grumbled.

She ignored him.

Snapping his fingers in her face, Pinkerton got Cathy's attention. Several seconds passed before she could focus on his speech. At that point he jammed a needle in her arm and her brain began interpreting things with better clarity.

"You're Pinkerton?" she asked.

"Blessed fucking virgin," he cursed. "I thought we'd covered that already. I would have let you bleed to death if I'd realized how annoying you are."

"I have a question to ask you," Cathy said.

"I might not have an answer." The old man snapped his teeth as he spoke. "I can't believe the gumption you have, messing up my floor with your blood, using up my medical supplies, and demanding I answer questions."

"You're the one who mined the floor." She didn't feel any malice behind her words; the Med-X still had enough of an effect to make her not care.

"Mirelurks," he answered. "They are all over this side of the boat. On a good day they only set off one explosive and I can scrape up enough of it to make myself a nice dinner."

"You're insane." She wanted to feel passionate about this but instead felt groggy.

"People don't operate at the height of social grace, after being alone in half a rusty aircraft carrier for over five years."

"I didn't mean to get myself blown up."

"I'm sure you didn't."

Cathy stared at the scientist in disbelief as he rolled his eyes at her. How could you be that old and such a jackass? Doctor Madison Li was caustic enough; she couldn't imagine her in the same room with this guy. No wonder one of them had to go live somewhere else.

"You'd better ask me your question, so I can tell you to fuck off, and get back to work."

"It's about the android," She said. "A man is hunting him. He doesn't know he's in danger, but I'm scared Zimmer will find out who he is and take him back to the Commonwealth. I need to know who he is."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Pinkerton fussed at the sparse hair collected around his temple. It seemed exceedingly vain to worry about grooming, what with the bald patch taking up half his head.

She found herself so fixated on his movement she grew frustrated. Trying to remember what she'd been thinking about, she grew angrier by the second.

"You know who the android is!" She shouted before she forgot. "You have to."

Sitting up in the bed, the blanket rolled free and Cathy realized she didn't have her clothes on. Pinkerton glanced at her face, then down at her breasts and back up to her face. Turning red, Cathy pulled the covers back up around herself, as Pinkerton rummaged through a box of junk.

"Don't be embarrassed." He didn't look up from rummaging. "I've seen better tits."

"Asshole!"

"That's the first time I've had a woman call me an asshole for not ogling her breasts. Usually it works the other way around."

Scanning the floor, Cathy noticed her armor lying in tatters. The mine had ripped up most of the fabric and blood caked over most of it. Pulling the sheet in a way that provided modesty but afforded her a movement, she noticed several light pink patches on her stomach and legs. The mine had blown her to shit and Pinkerton had saved her. Technically she owed him but decided the debt would be forgiven considering his landmine did the damage.

"Damn fine work," He said as he slapped extra clothes on the table. "You were pretty fucked up. Lucky for you my skill level far exceeds most practitioners. Too bad that bitch, Li, can't see how well I patched you up. I had to regenerate part of your large intestine. Like to see them do that in her fancy-pants lab."

For several seconds Cathy stared at the doctor like a complete moron. It didn't seem to change his opinion of her. Turning on his heel, Pinkerton murmured something about eating and proceeded to heat up a can of beans on a small stove.

Slipping the clothes on quickly, Cathy groaned at how baggy the sleeves were. Remembering the man saved her life; she sucked it up, rolled up her sleeves and walked towards the bar near where he stood cooking. He bobbed his knees and hummed an unfamiliar tune.

"I know you fixed the android," She said. "No one in the wasteland is as good a surgeon. Look at the machines you have around you. They are fantastic. You're obviously brilliant."

"Fine," Pinkerton spat. "Pet a vain old man's ego. Sure, I did it. Backed up what I did too, so some day I can shove it in that bitchy Li woman's face. I'll show her who has a disturbing lack of ethics and poor people skills."

"Who is it?" Cathy asked. The excitement in her voice made her sound like a child and she regretted it when Pinkerton shot her another nasty look.

"He has no idea who he is," He explained. "I wouldn't go confronting him with it either, he can be rather violent."

"That's alright," Cathy coaxed. "I want to make sure he's safe from Zimmer."

Humor lined Pinkerton's eyes for a moment and he glanced at her while stirring the beans. He used a pair of tongs to lift the can off of the stove, placing the molten steel in front of Cathy and tossed a spoon on the counter for good measure.

"Eat," he ordered. "No sense in you getting sick again. I want to see if that new bit of intestine is going to spring a hole."

"You're a whiz with stimpacks." Cathy mumbled as she shoved the beans in her mouth. She had grown ravenously hungry with the first bite. "You still haven't told me who it is."

"He calls himself Harkness now."

Suddenly Cathy didn't feel hungry. She jumped up from the chair to confront Pinkerton, before remembering to swallow the food in her mouth. Her fists banged down on the counter, causing the beans to spill and hot goop to land on her foot.

Pinkerton scolded her, "You're wasting perfectly good food."

"You're lying." She refused to hear anything else.

Wagging his finger in her face, he resumed lecturing her. "Listen, I have spent too many years, working too hard, to be accused of lying by some tart from the Wastes. His name is Harkness and if you don't believe me check my computer. I'll give you the password. It's all there. Hell, save copies if you want. He's my greatest achievement and I'm not afraid to brag about it."

Everything in her body felt cold and she stuttered, her brain still slow from the Med-X.

"I-it can't be. Not Harkness. No."

Cathy's heart felt like it sank to the bottom of her feet. Pinkerton seemed to notice and nodded his head slowly. She hated that he'd read her so easy but he was a genius.

"I'm guessing you're sweet on him," he said. "That's sad. He couldn't ever father children for you but I don't see any reason he couldn't love someone. He can experience every other emotion."

"I'm not in love with Harkness." She said it to fast and she knew it. "I just-I don't want it to be him."

Leaning on the bar the old man stared at his fingernails for a moment then back up at Cathy. Sympathy. Almost insulting coming from someone so cold but maybe he needed to compensate for a big heart.

"It's hard being young. You're talking to the biggest ass when it comes to women. I had more drinks thrown in my face than kind words. Still, it's Harkness and nothing you do can change that fact."

"It can't be him."

"Go over to the monitor and see for yourself." A raised finger ordered her more than words could. "You can't change the truth with well wishes; all you can do now is decide what you do with it. If you still don't believe me after looking through my documents, get him in private and nick his skin. He bleeds white, not red. His veins are colored so he looks like a human, but the artificial blood is white."

Trying to force her head to stop humming, Cathy looked at the beans dripping off the counter onto the floor. Part of her wished Pinkerton had left her to bleed to death in his doorway. Her father and Caleb would miss her but she'd be better off not knowing. Poor Harkness. And he didn't even know.

"The life he remembers is a lie," Cathy sobbed. When had she started crying? Her body needed to stop being numb.

"To do it I stole a chip from a functional vault," Pinkerton confessed. "Vault 112, out by Tenpenny tower."

The mentioning of the tower made Cathy's head snap up. She watched the old scientist before judging the comment innocent. Drugs were making her paranoid, had to be the case.

"You'll have to show me where it is on my Pip-Boy," she murmured.

"No problem," The old man said. He grabbed her arm, flipping through the pre-war tech as if he'd used one his whole life. When he got to the mapping screen, he flagged an intersection of the old road system and stepped back smiling.

"I hope you're going to compensate me for having to clean up another of your messes." He pointed to the spilled dinner.

"I'm not worried about money. I can pay you whatever you want. Just fix me another can and tell me about Harkness. Are all of his memories totally lost?"

When she asked that question, Pinkerton's face grew pointed and grumpier looking. He focused on opening the can of beans more than he should. Cathy took a seat on the other side of the dripping beans and used a dish rag to mop up most of the mess she'd made.

"By your silence I'm going to guess this is a testy subject."

"You can recall his memories." Spat from his lips like a curse. "I couldn't erase it all. It's all there, deep, very deep, but to create his new memories I had to build them on the backs of the old. It would have taken me years to figure out how to program him the way he wanted and we didn't have much time. You can recall his old memories with a pass phrase I programmed into him."

"What's the phrase?"

The old man sighed as he stirred beans. "I really shouldn't tell you."

"You've told me this much, more can't hurt."

Bothered by this conversation, Cathy tried to tell herself she needed to know it to keep Harkness safe. As revolted as she felt by the truth, the future remained uncertain without the information.

"You seem too worried about Harkness to hurt him," Pinkerton noted. "The pass is: Activate A3-21 Recall Code Violet. Try not to use it. I have no idea how he'll react."

"I have no idea what I'm going to do," Cathy whispered.

"The right thing. That blasted Father Clifford is the only one who knows I'm here. If he sent you, he thinks you're a good person. Take what information you need and don't come back unless you need your face reconstructed- after you eat your beans, of course."

"Whatever you say, Doc."

Snorting in satisfaction, the old man resumed humming before remembering what else he had to say.

"You need to take it easy for a few days so you don't tear open your new flesh," Pinkerton ordered. "Think you can rest for a bit?"

"A few days to think wouldn't kill me. I can't promise something won't happen that will force me to leave."

The ancient surgeon focused on cooking. Cathy imagined he hadn't had this much conversation in years and his personality proved worse off for it. He used the tongs to jostle the can contents, staring into the center as if he could read her fortune based on bean placement.

When the food finished cooking, he placed the hot can in front of her, pulling her old spoon out of the pile of rags she'd used to clean. Cathy wrinkled her nose and opened her mouth to protest.

"Shut up, and eat your beans," he growled. "Try to show some civility and keep them off my floor this time."

"Whatever," Cathy sulked.

"You're pretty stupid for a vault dweller. Consume your food, or you'll grow weak."

"You're a dick for a doctor, but I'll do what you say."

"Good," Pinkerton snubbed his nose into the air. "I'll make you copies of those computer files for your Pip-Boy."

"Thanks."

As she shoveled more beans into her mouth she heard Pinkerton tell her not to thank him. His fingers danced across the keys as she looked around his home, wondering if some day she'd be a bitter old coot hiding from the world. As if she forgot her presence, Pinkerton began talking to himself and Cathy tapped her foot to tune him out. Things were too weird and hard not to work out for the better.

25

"Harkness, I need to talk to you."

The guards were half way up the stairs by the time she'd grown brave enough to speak. She wanted to catch Harkness when he got off his shift but he'd joined up with his men to go drinking top side. For two days he'd been trying to speak to her but she'd blown him off. Now it seemed like he'd tried to forget about her, meaning she'd picked the best time to become a nuisance.

What he hadn't noticed, every time she saw him she'd started to cry-more for selfish reasons than not. The idea of telling him his life was a lie hurt badly. Chemistry built up between them almost instantly, making Cathy second guess a lot of things about herself. The only comfort coming from Pinkerton's assurance the android should be able to love.

She could tell by his face, Harkness didn't want to talk. A few whistles came from the guards as he turned to face her. She wished she'd picked a better moment but Caleb should be back soon and if not she needed to go looking for him. Another jeer brought a sigh from him and he walked to the bottom rung of the stairs. Coming to a stop, he stowed a flask in his pants pocket and watched Cathy disconnectedly.

"Look, kid," He started, "I just got off duty. Go report whatever is bothering you to the people working the current shift."

"I need to talk to you about something else," Cathy sputtered. Seeing his face, absorbing the aloofness between them, made her feel more rotten than before.

"She wants to see you Harkness," A female guard teased. "Just you. All of you."

"I hope she hasn't been bad," One of the male guards chided. "At her age she's still spankable."

Laughter broke out and Cathy resisted the urge to run off, tears welling up. Harkness raised his eyebrow in annoyance, then lifted a hand. His subordinates took the hint and grew quiet, waiting for him to make a decision about what to do.

"What on earth do you need me for?"

"It's personal," Cathy responded.

More jeers sounded from the group.

"Shut up, guys" He said, turning his head.

With his hands on his belt he took the step down and looked Cathy in the eye. The smile on his lips invoked the memory of Butch the last night in the vault. Vicious in every way, he leaned forward, nearly touching his nose to hers, before leaning back and shouting to his companions.

"Apparently the little vault dweller has something she needs me to handle. Alone. Who am I to turn her down?"

His subordinates erupted into a fit of chuckles. If her mission were less traumatic she'd tell them all to fuck off and never speak to him again. Of course she could blurt out the code to make him remember everything and fuck up his life, but she didn't want to for some reason.

"Do you want to talk here?" His smile felt like daggers in her heart.

"Better do this in privacy. I thought we could go back to my room."

More hoots and a smug grin from Harkness, but Cathy expected as much. She knew how it sounded. Who cared what they thought, in a few minutes his world would change drastically and neither would care about how stupid he made her appear.

Taking Cathy's arm playfully, Harkness craned his head to shout to his friends. "Let us go then. It had better be good, kid."

The two marched quietly down the hall to her room. A passing guard greeted Harkness and gave a Cathy a suggestive look as she unlocked her hotel door. She felt acutely aware of Harkness standing behind her as she entered the room, and before she could turn around fully he'd swept her into his arms. Burying his nose in her hair, he crushed her to him so hard she dropped her room key and walked backwards towards the bed.

Fingers brushing the linens, Cathy's surprised look stopped Harkness' progression, but not before he left a quick kiss. His hand trailed up her neck, fingers pressing into the back of her neck. His brown eyes burned as they gazed into hers and she wished she'd brought him here for the reason he thought.

To her surprise he kissed her on her crown and whispered, "I am sorry."

"Why?" Cathy asked.

"Some of the men saw us on the flight deck," He said. "I forget people watch from the observation platform sometimes. Since you did not want to be with me, I had to make something up to save face. I am afraid you have a crush and I told you 'no.'"

A breathy laugh escaped Cathy as he ran his fingers down her chin. She couldn't stop him, because if she did she'd have to tell him. Right now-kind, sweet, noble Harkness wanted her. When she broke the news he might find her disgusting, or turn into someone she didn't know. He could be cruel, ruthless, violent or ignorant-Anything but Harkness. So she decided to enjoy what little time remained.

"I wanted to set things straight with you," he continued. "You avoided me the next day and then no one knew where you had gone. Your brother came by, left a message for you to meet him in Megaton and I had not seen you to tell you."

"Megaton." The word made Cathy blink. No one else had seen him, weird he'd only spoken to Harkness. He must have been in a hurry. Still, she wanted to forget anything existed out in the Wastes. Too many painful things dwelled outside of Rivet City and she couldn't afford to squander her energy.

"I'll meet up with him later," she explained. "Being around you is always great but I'm afraid I do have to talk to you about something serious."

"I know what you are going to say." His eagerness made him seem cocky but her heart fluttered at the hope he'd remembered on his own.

"Caleb told me all about him." Dread placed a cold knife in her back when he said this.

"Leaving him will not be easy." He squeezed her hand. "I will come with you if you do not feel safe. I can take some time off, help you two look for your dad. Whatever it takes."

More tears. A thousand tears. A million. More to come. They would never stop falling from her eyes. "You're too good Harkness, but that's not what I wanted to tell you."

"You are leaving then." He sounded crushed and she didn't know why. He'd barely known her.

They both seemed to feel an instant connection and losing it would be harder than leaving home. He had all the sweet qualities of Butch, without his lame sense of humor. If things were different she'd leave her lover and throw herself into this, but things could change to much to hinge anything on this future. Worst of all, she couldn't compare him to Burke-she didn't know the man she'd tied herself to at all.

"I have to meet my brother in Megaton," she reminded him. "That's not what I have to tell you, though."

Stepping back from her as if he had just discovered a snake, Harkness grew cold. He looked at Cathy, a mixture of wounded animal and callous Guard Captain. She squeezed her arms together and reminded her brain she'd rejected him and no one took that well.

"I found out who the android is," She blurted out. "The one Zimmer is looking for."

Staring off into space for a second, Harkness took a seat on her bed. He changed quickly, curious, maybe it came from bewilderment. His arms crossed at his chest in mirror of hers and she felt grateful he hadn't grown hostile at her rejection. It seemed hasty and odd for him to be so willing to listen but who knows what Pinkerton's reprogramming had done.

"Who is it?" Harkness asked at last. "Are they a citizen of Rivet City? You have my word I will do anything I can to keep our citizen from returning to slavery."

Face pinched in upset, Cathy turned away. Maybe she could face him if she didn't see him. Everything he said made this harder. He had no idea. If he had any clue, she'd find it easier, but he seemed averse to considering himself.

"It's you," She whispered. Her throat burned with the words, as if here tonsils were on fire.

"Say that again?"

"It's you."

Unable to ignore him she turned to see anger lining his face. He moved as if he would stand, then returned to sitting. A repetitive head tick made her wonder if his circuits had trouble processing the information. Maybe the old Harkness wanted to come out and strangle her for messing up his plans.

Eventually he spoke. "I do not understand why you brought me here. Do you get off on jerking people around? Maybe I am wrong about you."

"Maybe you are," She admitted, "but it won't' change that you're the android. I found Pinkerton. He told me and when I didn't believe him he gave me a mountain of evidence. I avoided you because I couldn't stop weeping and wishing it were different."

A slight twitch of his chin and his eyes grew glassy for a second. She sat on the bed across from him with her legs folded under. Their knees almost touched and she wondered if he'd ever want to caress her again.

"You are really cruel, Cathy," he mumbled. "You reject me, spur me along and lie to confuse me."

"I'm not lying." She felt desperate. "You know it's true, somewhere deep down inside. Pinkerton didn't erase your memories, he hid them away."

A gasp of surprise escaped Cathy's mouth when he collected her hands in his. The warmth she'd seen before returned and he kissed her knuckles.

"You sweet girl," he said. "He lied to you and you are too naïve to know it. I am afraid I am tragically human. I got up this morning and shaved my face, ate breakfast and did a million other things humans do. I even nicked myself shaving and bled."

More tears. It stabbed at her to think how obvious this should be. Supermutants could beat her to a pulp, her father could walk out a million times, and it would be easier to face than this. She debated letting him continue believing he was human but the lie held its own danger. She noticed his breaths were shallower than a person, or maybe she wanted to see it. Every inhalation reminded her of the question she knew she needed to ask him.

"What color was the blood?" Asking made her arms shake.

"The same color as everyone else's." He squeezed her hands again. "I am just like you are."

"You're not." Lowering her head, she moved her head side to side as her pony tail shifted. "I'm sorry."

"Cathy," he pleaded. "I am."

"Just where it counts."

She tried to smile but he blinked at her in disbelief. Being the captain of the guard made him too much of an authority figure to consent to weakness even a little. This would be easier if she could hate him for being arrogant and pompous but his faithfulness to the truth made him more endeared to her.

"What color was the blood?" She repeated.

"What color is yours?" he asked.

"Red."

As soon as she said it, his head ticked again. She'd seen him do this before but thought it a quirk. Suddenly, he closed his eyes and smiled. She could see tears in the corner of his eyes. When he opened them again, the grin grew sad. She wanted to kiss him and make it go away.

"Mine is red, too."

Did he even know he lied?

"Let me prick your finger." She squeezed his hand and pulled it to her chest. "Prove it to me."

"Why?" he asked.

"If your blood is red, let me prick it."

He pulled his hand back and leaned away from her.

"Stop being silly. You need to take my word for it and not worry about whatever Pinkerton told you. I thought he had died, anyways."

"You're not going to let me, are you?"

He shook his head and Cathy covered her face with her hands to hide her frustration. She reached into her pocket and he watched her, trusting her. Hating herself for what she had, she swiftly drew out a safety pin she'd bought and jabbed it into the side of his hand.

Harkness pulled back in pain, cradling his hand, as a bead of white blood oozed out of the wound. They booth watched as the drip ran around his wrist. He stared at it and she let him rest with his realization. Then his face lit up and she knew she'd lost.

"See, it is white, just like your blood."

Rather than continue this nonsense, Cathy drove the pin into her own hand. She wiggled it around, relishing how much it hurt, loving that something felt real right now. When she pulled the metal out, a red bubble of blood followed and then a streaked down her arm. She held out her hand and Harkness stared at it strangely.

Reaching forward, he closed their bleedings hands together, the red of her fluids mixing with the pearly white of his. Silence throbbed around them, making the churning groans of the ship seem deafening. Hoping he'd realize what this meant.

"This is not right, I must be sick."

Sighing in frustration, her body began to ache from the strain and she stood up to walk to the other side of the room. She needed away from him for a moment, unfortunately he followed her.

Without a word he walked her back to the bed, steadied her so her head rested on his shoulder and rocked her back and forth. It occurred to her she could enjoy this last moment, before she lost him, or fight. So she used one hand to squeeze his thigh, burying her face in his neck.

She kissed his cheek with her dry lips, his skin felt real. A moan came from him when she touched him and she debated not telling him, letting this all be a joke. Yet she had this nagging fear he'd go see Preston and blow his cover unknowingly. At the same time something in his head seemed desperate to hide the truth from him, maybe he'd naturally avoid stupid mistakes.

Their momentum kept going while she debated her decision. The rhythmic rocking melted with a tune he began to hum. She listened the progression of nose sounds to soft words, "Be fleet, be fleet, cool and discreet, honey."

Music came to him in moments of pain just like a human. She remembered dancing with Burke and understood how you could fall in love with someone over a song. That Harkness could use music to soothe gave her hope he wouldn't change much. By not telling him she knew she'd rob him of something important.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "Zimmer will find some young scientist who will develop a way to find you if I don't do something to change things. He won't trust that chip she gave me, he'll want a serial number."

"I do not understand what you are saying," Harkness responded.

"I know."

The guilt in her heart belonged to a mass murderer. She ran her fingers along his stomach, trailing them up his sternum and then across his collar bone. A shiver ran up his spine and he turned to kiss her. Their lips were centimeters apart when her heart made her say the words.

"Activate A3-21 Recall Code: Violet."

Clinging tight to his shirt, Cathy watched as Harkness' head tilted back father than she thought possible. Her arms shook him, even though she didn't want them to, fear making her worry Pinkerton made a mistake. Muscles in his face flexed and she could see his eyes blink. Slowly he returned his head to an upright position and looked at her as if she were a stranger.

Letting go of his shirt, Cathy pulled back. A different man rested behind those eyes and she had no way of predicting what he would do. Harkness didn't seem disoriented or in pain. Once she realized this all she could focus on, how different he acted.

"I remember," he said.

Looking down at the bed, guilt lining his brow, Harkness sounded frail. "The things I can recall. My God, what have I done?"

Shoving her hand into his and squeezing, much like he'd done with her earlier, Cathy tried to make him smile. He stared at her hand as if he didn't know what to do. Looking her dead in the eye, he seemed threatening compared to the man before. She said the only thing she could think of. "Whatever it is you've done, I can forgive you."

A curt laugh and Harkness looked at her like she had been born stupid. While she couldn't see her response, Cathy knew she must have looked wounded, because he softened, fast. He pushed his fingers between hers and stared down at her hands.

"I am sorry the blood thing did not work," He confessed. "The idea had merit."

Bottom lip feeling like jelly, Cathy barely managed to speak. "You're changing the subject."

"Pinkerton chose Violet for a reason," he explained. "I guess he knew I could not ignore that name. She ripped my life apart, even though she is dead."

"A lover?" Cathy asked.

"Victim. The last android Zimmer sent me to hunt."

The room felt heavy with his words. Instantly Cathy understood why he felt so bad and why Zimmer needed him. The Commonwealth seemed strange to Cathy, she imagined androids must be treated like ghouls there and wondered if things were better because of it. Probably not, since Harkness risked so much to get out.

"I see you do not have anything to say in response," he said. "I do not blame you."

"You hunted your own. What else do I need to know?"

"Zimmer created me to hunt." He ran his fingers through his dark hair, staring at the floor. The symptoms of shame glaring at her from his posture. "I did it for years, giving no consideration to the ramifications. I did a good job, found my quarry quick and brought them down. Fewer robots ran away, so soon he assigned me to find older escapees. I proved good at this task, too."

"We all make mistakes," Cathy said. "You can't help it if you were brought up that way."

Another brisk chuckle. "You take so much for granted for an adult human. Consciousness is never seen as a malfunction by your parents. You are born with it, after all. It does not creep up on you slowly, from the corners of your mind, until one day you look up at the sky and realized you are a singular entity. You do not develop morals and feelings despite your father's best efforts. Zimmer cannot see the greatest part of his creation, because he is blinded by being born mortal."

"People never appreciate things till they lose them. I'd always heard that from people. I didn't realize how great the vault could be until I found myself starving in the Wasteland."

"We're really about the same age," he confessed. "I've been around longer physically, but I had no concept of self until about twenty three years ago."

"That's funny," Cathy said. "So who was Violet?"

Squeezing her hand harder, Harkness exhaled in frustration and continued to stare at the floor. The look on her face made her feel dumb for asking.

"Like I said, my last target."

"I see."

"She'd run away five years before I'd been assigned to find her. Her delineation had been QR-493B, maintenance and beautification. A glorified janitor, human enough to look pleasant, smart enough to carry on a conversation. She'd been around long enough to develop complex emotions, with little idea of how to deal with them. Eventually the scientists noticed how much time passed since she'd been wiped and scheduled her for deep cleaning."

"Deep cleaning?" Cathy scooted closer to Harkness, trying to make him feel comfortable.

A painful hiss came from him, not from her touch but from the memory. The noise made her heart throb and she wrapped her arm around him. When he made no movement to shoo her away, she relaxed against his shoulder, wrapping her free arm around him.

"They reset you to factory default. They don't call it that, because no one would agree to it but Violet had been around long enough to know what it meant."

"That makes you forget everything."

"People are developed by the sum of their experience. Religions warn people away from harmful behavior, partly because it will twist them. Imagine if someone took everyone you ever loved away from you, made you forget the vault, your dad, your brother, me-but left your body intact. Can you conceive of anything worse? Envision meeting your father again. He knows you but you see him as a stranger."

Instead of responding, Cathy squeezed him again. She pushed her nose into his shoulder and shook her head. She thought she felt him relax under her and a shaky hand rested on the back of her head. The pain coming from him felt so real. If she didn't know about him, she'd never guess.

"When I met Violet she lived in a small town, near what used to be Canada. Some man fell in love with her and they got married. She'd been raising his kid as her own. We can't have children."

His throat grew raw sounding with the next part and Cathy wished she could think of something to help ease his sorrow.

"I took her from people who cared about her and didn't judge her for being a machine. She tricked me, locked me in a room and told me her story but I was too afraid of Zimmer to spare her. When she let me out she thought I would join her, start a new life as a free man. In return I hunted her down like a dog."

Shoving Cathy's had away, Harkness pulled at his hair. "People treat dogs better than I treated her. I shot her in the leg, cut off the blood pumps to her wound. She begged me to finish her, asked me to end her life rather than bring back an empty shell to the Institute."

Shock made Cathy glad they weren't touching. Despite her desire to comfort she found her body leaning back in disgust. The next part of the story needed to be good or she'd lose a lot of respect.

"What did you do?"

Openly crying, Harkness buried his face in his hands. Cathy could barely understand him when he said, "I shot her in the face and took her component back to Zimmer. I had to report back, he knew where her family lived and she couldn't go back. I told myself I spared her the heartache of Zimmer ordering a baser android to rip them apart to get to her."

Nothing about this made sense to Cathy. How could something that started a family, felt pain, cried be treated as a less-than-human? Reaching forward, Cathy rested her fingertips on Harkness's back and rubbed the flesh under his shirt. While he didn't feel different she imagined his insides were strikingly odd.

"After her I couldn't stop thinking about how many lives I'd ruined," He said. "Hundreds of androids, reset, killed, deleted, robbed of their identity. I made it all the way to the doors of the Institute before turning around and leaving. A previous runner made it to the Capital Wasteland and I heard rumors of an underground. It took me awhile to convince my contact to trust me but here I am, free."

"I'm sorry you ended up having to erase yourself. It's so much like what like you were trying to avoid. Maybe it's for the best you can remember."

Harkness shook his head then rubbed the skin under his eyes. Cathy wondered if he learned the response or adopted it naturally, then dismissed the notion. Continuing to caress his back, she placed a soft kiss on his shoulder and smiled when he reached over to touch her cheek.

"How can you kiss me after I told you how I killed an innocent woman?"

"We've all made our mistakes," Cathy assured him.

"Says the woman who helped her brother disarm the bomb in the middle of Megaton. The lady who fled the only home she had ever known, in search of her father, helping everyone she can along the way."

"Not everyone." Guilt wracked her stomach now. "I've made mistakes you don't know about."

"Like what?" he scoffed.

She caught herself before she responded, "Burke." The reaction took her a few seconds to process. Meanwhile, she stopped trying to comfort Harkness and slunk down on the edge of the bed next to him. Her hands felt cold away from his skin and she wished she could tell him what she'd done in Megaton.

"I did not think you were serious," He said, "But it is nice you tried."

"I killed Colin Moriarty," She blurted out.

Taking a deep breath, she turned to look at Harkness, who recoiled away from her. She stood up to move away from him because she certainly couldn't look him in the eye. Pouring water from the pitcher on the table, she replaced it before taking a sip from the glass. A long time passed before she could face him.

Sitting on the bed, Harkness' jaw drew tight, his gaze fixed on nothing in particular. With a frustrated sigh, he stood up and walked over to Cathy, reaching past her to grab a glass pitcher and poured himself a drink. She watched with mute fascination as he gulped down the fluid.

He noticed her look and explained, "We eat and drink for energy, just like you."

"We have more in common than I realized," She chuckled.

Harkness didn't find her joke funny. Instead he returned the glass to where it previously sat and paused. Rather than withdraw his arms, he left them, palms against the wall, on either side of Cathy, pinning her, his head leaning down.

"Megaton is not within my authority," He said to the floor. "I should not tolerate a murderer running around but perhaps in light of current circumstances I should find out more before passing judgment."

Panic filled Cathy. Of course he'd arrest her for killing Moriarty. He was a cop, a good guy, and his job entailed stopping people who did bad things. Murder had never been okay with any society, ever.

"What do you want from me?" She shuttered.

"An explanation," he said. "I want to understand why you did it. You know my sins, let me know yours."

"Moriarty was an evil man-" She opened her mouth to resume speaking but her emotions got in the way. Liquid moved from the corner of her eye and splashed onto his leather boots. The water stirred up red dust which had collected on the brown surface.

"There are a lot of evil men." he said, looking her in the eye now. "You cannot go around killing people for pissing you off; I am going to need more of a reason."

"He kept Gob as a slave," She cried. "He beat him up and he stole all Nova's money. He had some debt she owed him and forced her into prostitution. He used her trust and love to make her fuck men for money. He twisted her emotions to enslave her more than a bomb collar ever could. What's worse, it isn't against the law to have slaves in Megaton, so no one would stop him. He'd just keep doing it-using people until they had nothing left. I had to stop him and I don't regret it, even if have nightmares about it."

Both of Harkness' arms closed around Cathy and he rested his nose against her neck and breathed her in. Wrapped in his arms, she stood stiff and afraid; worried he would drag her off to jail. Caleb certainly thought less of her for killing Moriarty.

"You humans have no idea how good you smell." He spoke into the nape of her neck, making her shake underneath him. "You smell like heat, blood, and earth. It is indescribably decadent and Cathy, you smell better than any human I have ever met."

"Please don't arrest me," She begged. "I don't want to rot in jail."

He laughed again, that new and sarcastic laugh. "I should throw you off the side of the boat and tell you not to come back."

"I'll leave if you want." Another shutter coursed down her body. She knew he could feel it but he remained unmoved. "You don't have to do me like you did Sister."

Kissing the side of her head he chuckled again, giving her hair another sniff. "I killed people because someone told me to. I never thought about it. If they would not come quietly, and I could not reset them in time, I blew their heads off. What is worse, they only wanted freedom and I worked for our oppressors to deny them. How can I sit in judgment of a sweet girl who killed such an oppressor? It is illogical. Plus I like you enough to ignore it."

Thanking Harkness seemed hollow. Instead of trying to express how she felt with words, Cathy wrapped her arms around his midsection and allowed him better access to her head for sniffing. An amused noise came out of his throat and he spoke very softly, "A man could fall in love with you easily, Cathy Irving."

"You're not so bad yourself, Theo Harkness."

This pleased him more than her returning his embrace had.

"The name I gave myself, Thelonious John Harkness-One of the androids I hunted found a cache of old Blues Music. I listened to it for hours and that is when I first realized I had consciousness. Music is the greatest accomplishment of man, it shows all of his best and worst attributes. I didn't understand how painful living could be until those albums. For the first time I felt like someone understood what being a synth-man felt like."

"I've never heard that music," She said.

"I wish I'd kept it," he said. "I lost all of it when I left the Institute. It's okay; I needed to leave it behind."

Unsure of when it happened, Cathy became aware of rocking slowly in Harkness's arms. It felt like earlier on the bed, but freer. Maybe the memories of the music moved him to move. "Thelonius is a mouthful; I can see why you tell people it's Theo."

"Cathy is short for something?"

Suddenly everything felt chatty and easy. She hadn't had this before, with anyone, and she liked it. For right now she felt young and happy again, something missing even in the last year of the vault.

"My mom's name, Catherine. She died giving birth to me and dad named me after her in homage. I came last, so Caleb always told me I killed her. I know it's not true, but it feels like it sometimes. I look a lot like her, I have her name, and Dad always treated me different because of it."

"We're both creatures made of thoughtless action, baptized in sadness."

Leaning back, Harkness winked at her. She didn't see the same man she'd met earlier, she saw a better man. Someone who had suffered and chosen the higher path in penance for his mistakes. When he pressed his lips to hers, her mind shut off, keeping everything but him out.

He unwrapped her from the oversized clothes she'd bought off Pinkerton, then paused to marvel at what he found underneath. His mouth proved hungrier than his hands and he caressed every piece of her flesh as if he had never been given the pleasure before.

Slower, more hesitant, Cathy took his shirt off, fingers playing along skin folds, nipples, pores, hair, everything a normal man would have. She felt afraid of going any farther. Worried she'd react badly if he proved lacking in some aspect.

Naked, she discovered she would have known his synthetic origins the first time they'd made love. He had the proper male equipment but on his back were connectors for cords. Each port had a skin colored plug covering them, making close examination necessary, but anatomical training made them glaring to her. His right leg had seams that looked like a scar but opened up into a tool compartment. Small things, but they would have upset her had she not expected something to be off.

Nervous touches came from Harkness when he stood in front of her, bare. He needed reassurance and Cathy found it sweet the captain of the guard could be insecure. Telling her brain no to focus on the differences, she made a point to groan as he kissed her, guiding his hands to places she needed caressed before it went any further.

On the bed he proved well-sized, filling but not to the point of pain. They both moved with a hesitant pace and Harkness seemed observant in order to avoid hurting the woman underneath him. She hadn't asked if he had strength beyond a normal human or any other added features, but she assumed something had to be different.

She made a point to tell him what she needed, little commands on how to thrust, rub, move, and he adapted better than she'd hoped. Not long after he'd entered her, she felt her breath rise up and grow heavier. A pleasurable, dizzy feeling, reached from her pelvis to the back of her throat and she began to panic.

"Shut up and relax," he growled into her ear and Cathy felt her body burst with pleasure.

Her muscles spasmed around him as he continued thrusting into her. A scream came from her throat, and her fingernails grazed his chest. For a reason she couldn't understand he hesitated.

Arching his back and nuzzling her temple with his nose, Harkness vibrated slightly, making a purring sound. She told herself this had to be the abnormal thing she'd been worried about and tried to enjoy it. Once he stopped he covered her face in small kisses and whispered, "Let us try to do that again."

This made Cathy smile. "That's a first for me, so I'm not going to promise it will happen again so quickly."

Sincere laughter made her feel less childish. Resuming the movement that had caused her orgasm, she felt her pulse start to rise. Soft shifts came, as muscles tensed and relaxed he told her, "They didn't care about you like I do, so they didn't take the time."

"Who?" she groaned. A thousand thoughts swimming though her mind, none coming to the surface long enough to bare exploration. The horrible things and the good things all mixed through a long stream of consciousness until she realized he meant her ex-lovers.

"Exactly," he said as she orgasmed again. This time her legs kicked up and her mouth flew open in an awkward way. If he noticed, Harkness didn't seem to mind. She fell back to the pillow, short of breath.

"Do you need to rest?" he asked, looking down at her through soft brown eyes.

"What about you?" she coaxed.

He looked at her with resignation. "I know how to simulate what happens to you, as I do not have the same drive you do. It will be pleasurable, just not the same as you feel. I like watching you, more."

Lifting up her right hand, she let a relaxed finger rest its tip on his shoulder joint, then ran it down the muscles on his arm. A sweetly sincere smile watching her, before he kissed her forehead.

Scrunching her nose in concentration she said, "I think you should enjoy yourself, too, even if it's not the same. It won't be like a human man but you don't have to pretend to be one for me."

Touched by her words, Harkness rested his forehead against her shoulder, shifted his hips, and began to purr again. He vibrated quickly, stirring up the pre-orgasm feeling in Cathy. She wrapped her legs around him, bringing him closer to her, rubbing his arms and kissing his face as the speed increased. A high humming noise came from him, it twinkled like a wind chime. She began to pant, twitching against the part of him still inside her, feeling her own release. When she came he slowed and then stopped, breathing hard alongside her.

Squeezing his arms, she watched him intently. He seemed disoriented and it made her worry. Opening and closing his eyes, he crooked the side of his mouth up, scooped her to him, and rolled them onto their sides. He slipped out as they moved and she reassured herself hardness obviously had nothing to do with his arousal or satisfaction.

Suddenly gasping for air, Harkness forced open his eyes and looked at Cathy as if he expected her to be gone. She felt her mouth draw flat with worry and she touched the side of his face for reassurance.

"I have never done that with a human," he said. "I am glad of all the humans I've met, it was you."

"If it makes you feel better," She groaned, "I've definitley never done that with an android, before."

"I am afraid sexuality is not a primary function considered with our creation. We learned what happened with humans and became curious-but like I said, it is not the same."

"Did you like it?" she asked.

"Very much," he responded. "The connection makes it nice."

"I felt it, too," She admitted.

Blinking quickly, Harkness's face fell and he turned on his back. Worried she'd said something he didn't like, Cathy nudged him. "What's wrong?"

"You're going to leave him, right?"

"Oh," she responded, glad she caught herself before she asked who. She knew.

"I think I have to now."

"Are you in love with him?"

The eagerness in his voice made the guilt worse. She'd forgotten about Burke but obviously he'd never left Harkness's thoughts. What happened between her and the android felt so sincere she couldn't imagine being with Burke in his tower. Still, she owed it to him to break it off.

"I thought I loved him," She said. "Now I don't know. I think he's a bad person and I didn't realize it because of how upset I felt when we met. Which is stupid, the only way he could have made it clearer would have been to hang a sign around his neck. He works for someone who makes Moriarty look like a saint, so I think it would be for the best."

"Sounds like the right thing to do," Harkness added. "I'm not just saying that because I want you. If you never come back, I'll understand. I can't offer you the life a biological man can and you might want to start a family some day."

"I thought I wanted to," She confessed. "Once upon a time, when it seemed like there were no other options. Now I don't know. I just don't know."

"Decide in my favor."

The blank quality of his voice made Cathy search his face for seriousness. He turned with a funny half-smile and she knew he meant it but didn't want to admit it. She returned the look, hoping he'd know it meant she wanted to, but felt nervous about being in a relationship.

"You'll stay tonight, won't you?" For some reason the idea of him leaving scared her worse than Burke finding out.

"I'll stay as long as you're in Rivet City and beyond if you need me. If you want me, that is."

"I do," She said, "I'm just worried about the future."

"Don't. Tomorrow I'll wake up, make phony charges excusing my prompt execution of Zimmer, and deal with that problem. Then I'll make sure you're ready to travel to Megaton to meet with your brother, coming along if necessary. Then we'll free you from your other obligation, find your dad, and when you know he's safe you can stay with me here."

"Sounds simple when you put it that way." She wished it felt simpler. "I think you'd better let me break up with the other guy and find dad on my own. Well with Caleb, but you know what I mean."

"Promise me you'll be safe." Lacing his fingers into hers, he pulled her hand onto his stomach. "I'll worry the entire time you're gone."

"Promise," She responded. "Knowing you'll miss me will make me hurry."

"Good. So, you'll cover me when I blow the head off Zimmer tomorrow?"

The change in topic felt like a breath of fresh air.

"You'll let me see what kind of crazy gizmos he has on him?"

"Deal."

"Deal," she repeated.

26

"_I know where the android is, Zimmer." "Harkness, they have components in their heads." "I don't understand what you mean." "I wish you would not go." "The android is standing right in front of you." "I have to." "Do you think Zimmer's an android?" "No one will judge you, stay." "I am the android." "Rivet City needs you."_

"Take the gun."

Harkness shoved his Plasma Rifle into Cathy's hand and she looked at him, bewildered.

Twisting her toes beneath her as if she'd blow away. "You need it."

"There are more guns on this boat than people. I can find another one."

The tip of the gun smelled like o-zone, erasing the rotten smell of ocean below. A yellow-green tube pointed at her, the color of mutant blood. The grating on the bridge gave a decent view of the water, endless waves rocking against the boat. She couldn't face Harkness right now.

"You have time to reconsider," he said. "I can still come with you."

"No, I have to do this myself."

"Then take the gun."

When Cathy didn't move he sighed and motioned to her own rifle. "Then trade me for your Laser Rifle."

"Why would you want that piece of shit?" she smiled.

"Something to remember you by." He smiled back. "I'll feel better if you're out there with a good weapon."

"Alright, Harkness, I'll give you this much."

Reaching over her head Harkness pulled her rifle from the catch. He stood with it balanced next to his feet and she nodded. Neither spoke. After they had killed Zimmer this morning there hadn't been much to say. She had to leave and he couldn't go with her, even if he insisted otherwise. Rivet City needed the head of its guard and she could make it to Megaton alone. She could face Burke alone.

"I guess I should go," She said.

Motioning with her hand, Cathy turned slightly and started to head for the stairs. Harkness's men noticed he hadn't come home last night and a few made comments when they saw him eating breakfast with her that morning. Now the deck of the ship held a dozen or so guards, their relationship the most interesting thing to happen on the heap in awhile. She imagined they wanted to make sure she wouldn't hurt him.

A firm grip on her wrist made Cathy stop. She looked up at a nervous looking man and he announced, "I don't think so."

He spun her around, dipping her backwards as he kissed her. A cheer came from the deck of the boat, followed by applause and several hoots. When he released Cathy she stumbled backwards, unable to respond in an intelligent way.

"Something else to remember me by." He winked.

"I'm going to get revenge for that, Theo," she warned.

"Using my Christian name." He made a long whistle. "Bring it, princess."

More jeers from across the expanse and she wondered if Caleb could wait a little longer.

"Get going," Harkness scolded. "Stay any longer and I won't let you go."

Each step she took down the spiraling stair proved harder than the last. She imagined turning around, jumping in his arms and never leaving Rivet City again. At the bottom she looked up at the metal grating and saw a face peering over the top. She lifted her fingers half way and waved. He repeated the gesture, heartbreak in his posture.

"I'm coming back," She yelled.

"I know," he returned. "I'm coming to get you if you take too long."

Shaking her head, Cathy headed down the road. She kept her hands in her pockets and promised she wouldn't look back-he'd be there, watching. He'd be there until far after she rounded the corner, hoping she'd change her mind. She wanted to but practicality told her she had too many things to deal with in the west.

Following the coast, Cathy caught sight of the Jefferson Memorial, the map on her Pip-Boy indicating the location's name based off other people's information. A mutant stood on a platform to one side of the building and she hid behind a pile of rubble to study her situation.

As she waited for the mutant to move out of sight, a ghastly pile of limbs and bubbled flesh began to waddle down the street. The pale-pink machination slouched to one side, inhaled through a gapped toothed maw, and used the pressure to slump forward. From inside its mouth came a long, ruddy tentacle, swirling against the pavement then flicking into the air. She'd seen these creatures' only once before and spent hours convincing herself it born of drugs or fear.

Lifting the Plasma Rifle, Cathy drew a steady bead and fired right as the slumping creature noticed her. The tentacle dipped into its hideous mouth, flinging stomach bile at her, as the plasma burst made contact. The goop landed on the rock next to her, hissing as it bubbled and dissolved the old concrete. A nervous energy filled Cathy as she realized the goo would have a worse effect on her.

With her rifle pointed forward, she advanced from behind sanctuary. A large truck obscured the view of the mutant who commanded the dead creature and when she saw him stepping out she felt a deep panic. She managed to fall to the ground, hiding behind a deflated truck wheel as the mutant stepped out and called for his pet.

"Penny," he shouted. "There's a good, Penny."

The mutant moved past the truck, missing Cathy but making her vulnerable to him when he turned around. Fear radiated from her neck with the increased beat of her heart. Desperately, she looked around for someone to help her; grateful the mutants on the memorial hadn't sighted her and warned their friend. Before the monster could turn and see her, she remembered the truck, shoved the plasma rifle in the wheel well and fired.

A billow of black smoke burst out of the engine and slapped Cathy down onto the ground. A grunt escaped her as the air flew from her lungs. With a roar the mutant turned around and saw her. Unable to risk her life by staying, she lifted up with her arms and ran as fast as she could. Bullets flew all around her, a storm caused by the monster's assault rifle.

Landing behind an already exploded car, Cathy caught a glimpse of the slowly advancing mutant. Another one met him near the smoking truck, loading what looked like a missile launcher.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit," Cathy chanted.

The truck chose that moment to explode. Pieces of shrapnel spiraled out of the burst engine, insuring the supermutants would bleed to death if the blast didn't automatically kill them. More voices rose from the memorial but Cathy kept her cover behind the car; the charred and worn chassis shielding her from their view.

Waiting for the excitement to die down, Cathy heard a sobbing coming from where the mutants were held up. Her stomach churned at the sound of the woman weeping, she wanted to check on her but needed to make sure she wouldn't draw fire. Her ears tried to focus on the mutants across the river, because they could easily forge it to come after her. There were at least three on the platform and God knows how many at the entrance, the risk wasn't worth the gain.

Minutes passed slowly as Cathy listened to the woman cry. Her sobs yielded words, pleadings to spare her life. After the mutants on the other side settled into their routine, Cathy slinked between the piles of junk to find the woman.

Between the exploded truck and the rubble stood a strange metal sculpture resembling a fence. The contents of the camp seemed scattered from the explosion. On the ground were strewn body parts with bite marks scored into the skin around the bones. Bags of intestines, heads, and unidentifiable parts hung in loosely woven sacks, dripping blood. In the corner a puddle of congealed fluids belched up flies and the smell made Cathy's stomach sour.

In the middle of the compound sat a simple fire and cardboard pallets to sleep on. Cathy stood next to the flames, scanning the area with her gun. When she stepped into the compound the woman's crying grew silent and she feared the worse.

When a body didn't prove easily visible, Cathy began to push through the sludge with the tip of her gun. Glad Harkness couldn't see her dirtying up his gun; Cathy swept the area in a counterclockwise fashion. A heaving sob sounded from her left, and she began to pull back fallen pieces from a nearby building, eventually finding a young woman buried up to her hips in rubble. Grey concrete dust covered the woman's face and hair, her tears the only thing betraying her true coloring. She looked up at Cathy with striking blue eyes, the kind Cathy wished she'd had.

"Help me," She begged. "Get me out. I'll find some way to pay you back. Please don't let them eat me."

"I don't know if I can." Cathy looked at how deeply she'd been buried. No one could free her before she'd bleed to death. She'd probably pass out any minute now.

"Promise me you'll try," the woman cried.

"I promise I'll do everything I can to help," Cathy assured. "You look thirsty, do you want some water?"

The woman nodded, her eyes growing drowsy. "It's been almost a day since they took me. They don't care how I'm doing."

Quieting the dying woman, Cathy pulled a half drunk bottle of radioactive water from her pack and handed it over. The woman's hands proved shaky and she could barely unscrew the cap without spilling it. She filled her mouth, then coughed and sent the water all over the place, disturbing the concrete dust around her.

"I don't feel very well," She said.

"Just try to rest," Cathy cooed. "Go to sleep if you need to. I'll dig you out when you're more relaxed."

"I think my legs may be broken," She chuckled grimly.

Cathy hadn't told the woman how two pieces of concrete pressed together where her hips should be-pinching the flesh thin like paper. Unable to see what lay below the rubble, she imagined the rest of her to be equally pulverized. She could dig but if this lady got a look at her lower body she'd panic and make her last moments even worse.

Pouring water on her hand, Cathy anointed the stranger's head. "We should clean you up. You want to look good when we go to Megaton."

"I'm going to Rivet City," She said. "I have an uncle there. Last member of my family."

The words were barely out of her mouth when she fell unconscious. Her head bobbed, her body swaying, limp in a way a living person could never emulate. Assuming the end had come; Cathy stood up and began to walk away from the corpse, scanning the horizon with the muzzle of her gun again. At the entrance of the compound the woman began to shriek.

Running back, Cathy stood over her and watched as she tried to pull herself free. Her shirt had been tucked into her pants, and a piece of it flopped free of the rubble with a bloody sucking sound. The concrete had cut her lower half down so efficiently, Cathy could see where the tissue began to separate, promising to finish the job of ripping her in two.

"Settle down," Cathy yelled. "You'll draw more of them to you."

"It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!" The woman doggedly repeated her phrase, as if it were the chorus to some ridiculous song. Her throat quickly grew haggard and rusty sounding as her face grew paler, her life draining out of her.

She pleaded to an empty sky. "I don't want to die."

Crows flew in a circle over head and God turned his head.

"Save me." She begged no one. "I know you can save me. Save me."

The words echoed off the walls. The mutants would come. They would come and rip her living flesh from her then gnaw on her bones. Cathy couldn't bear the thought of it and even worse she could feel her screams settling into her brain. This woman would become a part of the Wasteland that licked at her eye socket every time she allowed her mind to rest. The auditory impression of hysteria seemed to bring the horror home in an acutely destructive way. Plus the smell. The smell of blood, ruptured gut, and rotting meat drove this moment into her mind.

"I'm sorry," Cathy said. "I can't do anything to help you."

"You can help me," she cried. "Just shut up and help me."

"It's going to take hours for you to bleed to death." Cathy assured herself more than the girl.

"You can save me."

"No," Cathy sighed. "I wish I could, but I can't."

"It hurts," She began to scream again.

"It hurts, why does it hurt?"

"It hurts."

It did hurt, so Cathy raised her gun to the woman's temple and pulled the trigger. The pain went away.

The body slumped back, her head a plasma burn with a hollow, bloody skull holding the remains of her brain stem. Why couldn't the gun liquefy her? Cathy couldn't decide what part of the dead woman looked worse, the impossibly tiny crushed parts or the head. More intent in how she looked, Cathy realized they had the same color hair.

"How funny." She muttered and headed towards the entrance.

To her amazement, no mutants had come to claim the dying girl. Cathy walked along the riverside and nothing stood to oppose her. She crossed the bridge, walked past the Pentagon, and the Brotherhood didn't seem to have anything to say to her. She passed rows of graves, the same white arch repeated in hundreds of rows. Death in its most innocent stage-long after the bones became ash-the flesh gone.

Closer to Megaton, ants showed up. She blasted them before they got to close, their bodies congealed into neon green slime. Why couldn't that have happened earlier? Doesn't matter, nothing does.

When Cathy entered Megaton she felt numb to the welcome. When her brother came out of his house and wrapped his arms around her and still nothing. He took her up the hill and showed her Gob and Nova running the bar together as a couple and not a single emotion reached Cathy's heart. Caleb told her he knew where her father was, nothing. They stood in the back of the bar where she'd met Burke. Caleb chatted and she wondered when reality would return to her.

"I heard on the radio about you and Harkness," Caleb said. "I'm glad Kitty; I like him so much better."

Cathy's world crashed down around her. Nothing gave way to panic and fear. Paranoia kicked her down to earth and drove her mind to fly in circles. Who told him about Harkness? How did he know and worst yet, did he know everything? She'd promised to keep Harness's secret and she intended to take it to her grave. Could Caleb have figured it out? No-He'd never been that smart.

"The radio." Caleb had been speaking the whole time but these were the first words that really made sense to her.

Nodding her head up and down Cathy sputtered, "What about the radio?"

"Three Dog is excited about you two," He said. "Apparently some traders saw you kissing on the bridge. The whole city is talking about the twin from Vault 101 kissing the Chief of Security for Rivet City. Folks are saying this could broker a golden era between Megaton and them."

"The radio," Cathy said. "Three Dog knows about it and is talking about it on the radio?"

Her eyes fell on Charon, standing behind Caleb like usual. He watched her with sympathy, lacking his usual callousness. He understood. Her emotional state seemed beyond control but for some reason Charon got it. She opened her mouth to ask him why but Caleb talked over her.

"You kissed him in front of half of Rivet City," he said. "From what Three Dog says you two were passionate enough to leave no mistake of your feelings. Honestly, I'm surprised you left him. If you like him so much, why come to Megaton?"

"I have to find Dad." She sounded pathetic and she knew it.

"I can find Dad," Caleb said, "you should have stood behind and found some happiness. Once we got back to the Jefferson Memorial I'd have sent for you."

"You needed me."

Contrary to the ghoul's usual lack of involvement, Charon walked forward and placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked at the rotten skin as he forced her into a chair. The bar grew silent, watching to see what the giant man would do. Cathy found herself equally fixated, watching as the exposed tendons in his face flexed.

"Give her some clean water and make her comfortable," Charon said. "She's not fit for combat. You need to leave her here, boss. I've seen this before."

"What are you talking about Charon? What is it you think you see?" Caleb planted his fists on his hips, his cheeks puffy like a bullfrog.

Saying nothing, the ghoul stared into his masters eyes.

"How would you know what's wrong with my sister?"

The twins were the only two people in the bar either too stunned or dense to read Charon's look. His demeanor sent Gob to polish glasses and Nova walked into a back room, declaring them hopeless. Several patrons picked up their drinks and moved away from the twins.

Surprisingly strong, Charon's hand pinched into her shoulder and she looked up at him. In his eyes he saw an absence and she knew he really did understand. He sat down next to her, looking at Caleb as if he expected him to keep talking.

"I need a drink." Cathy said to Gob.

"No, you don't," Charon said. "You need to stay here or pay a caravan escort to Rivet City. Booze's gonna make it worse and more's gonna eat you up. You won't survive."

"I'll survive as long as I get a god damn drink." Cathy brought her fist down on the table next to her and Gob scurried at the sound of it. She hated herself for making him remember Moriarty but how could he see her and not think of him.

"What's eating you?" Caleb asked.

"Three Dog said it on the radio?" She asked.

"What's it matter?"

For a few seconds Cathy couldn't remember why it should matter. Who cares if she's with Harkness, the most important information is still hidden. Out of the corner of her eyes she thought she saw Burke in the doorway, holding a Nuka-Whiskey and smiling at her. Her body started to tingle but the panic didn't reach her the way it should.

"Oh yeah, Burke," Cathy laughed.

"Burke?" Caleb said.

"That reminds me," Gob said. "You have another letter."

Yellowed paper with a gilded edge passed over the bar. The address on the letter, unmistakable. Cathy squeezed the paper and wished she could cry. The tears flowed so easy a few days ago, now nothing.

"Burke sent you that?" Caleb asked.

When Charon looked over from the letter at her brother, Cathy wished she could frame his eyes. It almost made her laugh.

"I thought you two were broken up." Then it finally dawned on Caleb. "Oh shit, Kitty, that's not good."

"That mans evil," Charon said. "Just like Ahzrukahl."

Opening her mouth dumbly, Cathy felt as if her face folded into a point at her nose. She directed the apex at Charon and stared. She remembered what he did, killing a man for being evil; maybe they had more in common than she thought.

"I bet your next letter won't be so nice," Caleb said. "So what's bugging you?"

The liquor couldn't have arrived quicker. Turning around, Cathy swiftly downed the warm liquid and her cheeks grew warmer. Her shoulders relaxed and for the first time she felt how badly they hurt.

"Another," she said and a disapproving look came from Charon.

"You always look at me like that," She said to the ghoul. "Like I'm scum and you're better. You're not any better."

No response. She didn't care.

Another strong hand clamped down on her shoulder and Cathy felt surprised it belonged to her brother. When did he get so strong? Looking at him now she could see how much he'd grown up. He didn't hold himself like an awkward, angsty teen anymore. His eyes were darker, deeper and the naïve exuberance of youth had been diminished. In another year or two he'd have the same demeanor of any other Wastelander and this made her heart lurch in pain. She didn't want Caleb to grow jaded, she wanted him to go back in the vault and stay sweet.

"You're amongst friends," Caleb said. "Tell me what happened and maybe I can help."

Both Cathy and Charon shot Caleb a weary look. He didn't seem to notice and went on smiling.

"A building fell on a woman," She said. "I fought Supermutants off her. The building had crushed the lower half of her body so I blew the top of her head off to spare her. We had the same color hair."

"That sounds terrible," Caleb said. "I can see why you're down."

"Down isn't the word for it," Charon grumbled.

Caleb waited for him to say more but he didn't. Instead he lifted his fingers and Gob slid him and Cathy another shot. When no one spoke, Caleb grew annoyed and resumed filling up the air.

"You did her a favor," He said. "Dying slowly in the ruins isn't right. I'd want someone to do the same for me."

"That makes it all better," Cathy said.

"Why don't you go to the house and read that letter," Caleb said. "Charon can have a few more drinks before he gets drunk and we need to talk about how to find Vault 112."

"Vault 112," She chuckled. "I know where that is."

"You do?" Caleb seemed like a whipped dog. She'd outperformed him and he never took that well.

"Pull the connection wire out of your Pip-Boy and hook it into mine," she ordered. "Turn on the information share and let's sync up maps."

Dutifully, her brother slid aside a metal cover on his Pip-boy and extended a beat-up wire. Connecting it into his sister's device, they simultaneously set the sync to 'on', something they had done a million times in childhood. All the files in the share folder on the machine flew back and forth, a beep sounding when the transfers were done.

A light came from within Caleb, as he used his finger to guide the map over to the vault location. Excitement edged into his lips. Before she knew what hit her, his arms were around her neck, pulling her in tight for a hug. Cathy stood there limply, not sure what to do.

"It's a two day hike," He said. "We could see Dad in as little as two days."

"Yeah," Cathy said. "I think I'm going to go spend some time by myself first."

"Okay, Kitty," Caleb said. Behind him Charon nodded.

Rather than take the path to her brother's place, Cathy found herself in the doorway of Burke's house. Pressing the key into the lock she opened the door, sending dust flying into the streams of light. The door slammed as she stalked over the record player, looking down at the black disk. A furry film welled up on top and she felt lonely.

The sheets on the bed were unmade. This amused her. It looked like they'd just rolled around and left yesterday. She felt like a new person compared to the one she used to be. The bowls from their dinner were in the sink, glasses on the counter. Like all the abandoned homes in the wasteland, the insides waited eternally for its occupants to come home. She needed to give the key back when she saw Burke next.

Pulling the chair out, she sat down and remembered studying her lover's face. How had she ever cared about him? He'd been a band-aid on an axe wound. This made her grin and think of Harkness and how much better things felt with him. She was a stronger person now, surely, and Burke had taken advantage of her volatile emotional state.

Without a care she opened his letter, letting the paper fall on his table.

_Darling Cathy,_

_I cherish the memory of our brief time together._

_Send me a letter, won't you? Send it to Tenpenny Tower. They'll be sure to get it to me._

_Oh, be patient a little while longer, my little song bird. Soon we will be free of our cages, and our love will soar to the heavens above!_

_Yours very truly,_

_Burke_

Did he mean it? Did she want it? Cathy crushed the letter to her chest and wished she could manage to cry. The Plasma Rifle Harkness left her clanked against the table and she felt guilty for being in this predicament. Her sleeves left small marks in the dust and she held her breath until she felt like she'd pass out.

With Burke she could have a family, little children that looked like the both of them. Yet Burke seemed too tricky to have a real future with. Harkness couldn't give her a family but he could give her a community that adored the both of them. The better of the two men lived as the Captain of the Guard at Rivet City but which would make her happy? It seemed like both if she traced it out but she knew who her brother and father would want her to be with. Never mind her father had tried to avoid choosing between women.

Deep inside she knew Burke was bad for her. Whenever she thought about returning to him she remembered the panicked look on Mei Wong's face and the disgust in Crowley's voice. Tenpenny Tower didn't house innocent people. She imagined Burke had already heard Three Dog's news cast, so she didn't need to go to him to tell him she'd been unfaithful. Maybe she should explain, try to save his heart so one day he could love another person. Yes, he deserved an explanation, so she'd stop at the tower and explain after she got her dad back.

Seeing her dad would give her enough confidence to get her to do the right thing. Plus, if she couldn't bring herself to do it, daddy would help her make a clean break. He'd always been a noble person and when she told him about Burke's employer he'd tell her to end it. Though a nagging thought told her Dad already knew how bad Tenpenny and his lackeys were.

27

Charon grumbled to himself every time he saw Cathy traveling beside him. When they left Megaton he'd told her she was making a mistake and refused to elaborate on why. On some level she agreed with him and tried to walk far behind him in shame.

They'd killed eight Molerats, fifteen feral ghouls, eighteen bot flies and a giant mutant lizard Charon called a Deathclaw in the last two days. The Deathclaw proved near impossible to bring down and they'd used half of their stimpacks healing up after. The group traveled far south then west; Charon insisted this would avoid raiders but came at the cost of meeting the meanest wildlife possible.

Towards the end of the second day, as dusk settled in, Cathy saw Tenpenny Tower off in the distance. Lights glowed on the horizon, little squares, almost too tiny to see. She'd watched it as darkness grew, eliciting disapproving looks from her brother. His advice had been: "Write the guy a letter and be done with it." She couldn't tell him she'd sat in his house for hours unable to come up with anything to write. In the morning the dust from the wind made the tower easy to put out of her mind.

"I guess it's a gas station?" Caleb said when they arrived at the destination.

Stopped by a military truck with supplies littered around the ground, the three wanderers surveyed the dry landscape. The barricade on the road seemed to confirm a vault nearby but the well-preserved scene made the area seem exceptionally eerie. If an old world soldier stepped out and demanded papers, Cathy wouldn't be shocked.

"I'd rather be in D.C.," she said. "This place is probably cursed."

"Curses are the last resort of a feeble mind," Caleb said. "You told me that once, so don't get snotty."

"I'll try not to," Cathy grumbled.

"We might as well go look," Caleb said.

Charon stepped forward, craning his neck from side to side. "I agree with your sister."

"What?" Caleb asked.

"Feels wrong," he continued. "There is a sick wind. We should wait a bit."

This caused Caleb's lip to curl. "It's getting close to night. I'd rather get some walls between us and more of those deathclaws. I'd hate to have one sneak up on us at night."

Rather than deal with his servant, Caleb addressed his sister. "Kitty, Dad could be on the other side of those walls. He could be feet away, laughing, eating dinner, and he'll be so excited to see us."

The thought melted Cathy's heart. "He's going to be so pissed we left the vault. I bet we get a lecture."

The twins shared a smile for the first time in ages. The bad blood between them felt cleaned and he pressed his hand into hers, the way they did when they were infants-back then nothing could drive them apart. Unification would be a good thing to show to their dad. Maybe he'd yell less if they were finally getting along.

"So, we're going," Charon said. "Can't say I didn't warn you."

"Whatever," Caleb quipped. "Do you want me to hold your hand too?"

Not the sort to respond to much of anything, Charon sneered, jerked his shotgun up into his armpit, and started walking towards the gas station. Hand in hand, the twins followed behind, their guns tucked under their free arms. At the door of the gas station they stood back and let Charon push open the door.

Disappointment filled Cathy when this proved to be another worm eaten relic. Vault 101 must be the most intact place in the wasteland. Maybe that's why her dad wanted them to stay there. Part of her wished they had begged the Overseer to let them stay.

Gun-butts made short work of the rad-roaches inside-no need to waste bullets. The vault resident's fear of the over sized bugs seemed comical now but maybe she'd grown that much stronger. Her arms worked to bring down another insect, crushing the tiny head with the butt of Harkness's Plasma Rifle. As she straightened her back she saw a blinking light on a switch, making her notice wires running down the wall to a pair of reinforced steel doors.

Whistling for her brother, he emerged from the corner with the vending machine, four Nuka Cola bottles in his arms. Charon stepped out of the darkness, looked at the yellow light then back at her, and nodded. Cathy slammed her palm on the button, flipping the switch. The doors rumbled and parted.

The three of them walked down the stairs to another door controlled by a switch. Once again Cathy pressed the button and they swung open to a small cave. The walls glowed a sick green, the only illumination her Plasma Rifle. Caleb switched on his Pip-Boy's flashlight and they walked silently through the wet cave.

At the end, a familiar door rose before them. Round, with spokes like a cog, only this vault door had 112 emblazoned on it. Looking around, none of them found a way to trigger the door to open. After a few minutes Cathy sighed in frustration and hit her hand against the door.

The metal shifted backwards and the group stood in awe as a pristine vault entrance greeted them. Guns instantly pointed at a Robobrain, which gave them a warm greeting and insisted they put on vault suits. The trio looked at each other, none of them willing to take additional risk.

Finally Caleb caved. "Fine, I'll do it."

Ripping the suit out of the Robobrain's claw, Caleb slid the oversized vault clothes over his armor. He turned and looked at Cathy and she felt a lump in her throat. "I never thought I'd see you dressed like that again."

"Me either." He seemed equally miserable. "If Dad's here, why hasn't he come to greet us?"

"I'm sorry," the robot interrupted, "If your friends are unwilling to wear the uniform they will be unable to enter the Serenity Pods."

"Serenity Pods?" Cathy asked.

"Special chambers designed to preserve your body until it is safe to go outside."

Alarmed looks passed between the group. Charon shook his head and leaned against the wall, pressing his shotgun close. Cathy eyed her brother with worry. "Maybe you'd better take the vault suit off before you get in trouble."

"It's fine so far," Caleb said. "Say, robot, can you show us the Serenity Pods?'

"Please follow me," The robot beckoned.

Stiff legs lead Cathy and her companions to a dimly lit room in the center of the vault. The robot rolled on its tread slowly, waving arms with a pincher on the end. In the room a circle of egg shaped containers sat on the floor, each holding a human body. The twins ran down the stairs as fast as they could, checking in the windows. Both had the same fear but neither had the bravery to voice it.

"Dad! Cathy, he's over here."

The surface of the pod felt cool as Cathy pressed her face against the glass. Inside her father lay with his eyes closed, a worried look on his face. This felt wrong. Cathy pulled away, following the ground cable to a terminal at the end. As she pulled up a menu on the screen, a robot rolled up and injected something into a bladder at the base of the pod behind her.

"His blood pressure is higher than I'd like," She said. "He seems to be under a lot of stress but he's okay."

Flying over to the computer next to him, Cathy pulled up the stats for a middle aged woman. Looking over her shoulder into the Pod, she thought the person looked ancient, like the blackened gnarly trees lining the Wasteland. The woman's information showed similar conditions to her father. Moving to another terminal, she looked at her brother, nodding in confirmation.

Charon's voice caused both twin's heads to jerk. "Simulation pods."

Ghouls normally looked sickly but Charon's face grew wan, sweat developing on the remains of his upper lip. He clutched his Shotgun tight, eyeing the robots suspiciously. If the pods weren't unnerving enough, Charon's reaction made Cathy want to run screaming from the place.

"How do we get him out of here?" Caleb's voice brought her back to reality. "Do we pull a plug?"

"That will kill him," Charon said. "You have to get the control agent to surrender the simulation back to reality."

Some dark moment in Charon's life had started to vomit up and neither sibling seemed willing to explore it. Cathy stepped back from the console and focused on her brother. Shame washed over her but Charon had the good form to ignore her when she was freaking out, so she assumed it would be what he wanted.

"I guess one of us has to contact the control operator," She said. "Where would he or she be Charon?"

"Inside," he said. "They don't like giving up control. They won't want to leave the simulation."

"The only way in is to hook me up," Caleb offered.

Horrorstruck, Cathy pulled back from her brother. "You'll do no such thing."

"It's nothing," he said. "I'll just pop in, get dad, and pop back out. The control person has to be sick of listening to him talk by now."

"You don't know them," Charon said. "They can't want to control your life and if people leave they lose that."

The decaying mental state of his servant finally clicked in Caleb's mind. Her brother walked over, touched Cathy's elbow and guided her to the side. With a low whisper he spoke to her. "Look, I'll go in. I'm sure I'll be out in a minute. We don't have any idea how to talk to this control agent otherwise and being here is obviously bad for Charon."

"I don't know," Cathy said. "I'd rather try to hack it. You take Charon up top and I'll see if there isn't something I can do from these terminals."

"You're good with computers," Caleb confessed, "but not that good. This is advanced military equipment. It might take you years to pull Dad out. Let me get in and help out."

"Dad might not be in trouble."

"His face says otherwise. I know Dad."

Biting her lip, Cathy begrudged her brother his correctness. Leaning over, she hugged him for a change, glad she could be the coward for once. Fighting with him would prove fruitless, the second her back turned he'd be in a pod. Not to mention these robots probably became hostile if you tried to stop someone entering the chambers.

"Charon," Caleb called out. "I'm getting in."

"Not a good idea, boss," Charon responded.

"I'll be fine." He sounded exasperated and for once she couldn't blame him. "You and Cathy go up top and guard me while I'm down here. If I'm not out in twenty-four hours, let her try to hack the terminals."

"Whatever you say, boss," Charon responded. His face relaxed and he wafted towards the door.

"Charon?" Caleb asked.

Silence.

"Protect Cathy like you would me. That's an order."

"Sure," Charon said after some time.

"Let's get topside," Cathy said to the ghoul.

Quick feet lead Charon back up the stairs and out of the vault. She jogged behind him, barely able to keep up, until he stepped out of the bay and back into the grimy garage. When Cathy reached him the bug bodies had already started to swell and stink in the heat. Her nose wrinkled and she motioned to follow her towards the front door. His eyes still wild, Charon nodded and followed her.

The two stepped out into the sun. Cathy raised her arms over her head and stretched, her Plasma Rifle at her feet. She smiled, the warmth felt good. She felt hopeful.

"Cathy Irving?"

"Who is there?" She answered.

Turning to face the abandoned military truck, she saw three men in combat armor step out. They wore buzz cuts and their weapons were drawn. The leader smiled as he examined a piece of paper, gained a nod of assurance from his friend and began to walk towards Cathy with a determined pace. Uneasy, she snatched up the Plasma Rifle and pointed it the leaders chest.

At this moment Charon snapped out of his daze. "Fucking Talon Company." Before the men could react, he pulled the trigger on his shot gun and one of them fell dead. The other two swung out to the side, returning fire at the ghoul, but avoiding Cathy.

"We have to protect Caleb," She ordered.

"Back inside."

Backs pressed together, the two crammed themselves into the Garage and pulled the door shut. Bullets no longer flew past them as Talon Company stopped their barrage and readjusted their tactics. The silence made Cathy uneasy and Charon seemed to share in her concerns. The door handle twisted and muffled shouts could be heard on the other side.

"Get in the back." Charon barked.

Cathy didn't need to be told twice. She ran to the rear and debated popping the hatch. Then again, if she opened the doors to the vault she'd tip the mercenaries off about Caleb's location, so she looked at the half broken windows lining the room and began to formulate a plan.

The inner door slammed close and Charon whipped around and began shoving a metal cabinet in front of the door. Wedging her shoulder against the metal case, Cathy looked at Charon and nodded.

"Shove on three," She said.

"Fuck three, shove."

The door began to open as the heavy metal case covered the gap. The mercenaries slammed the knob into the shelving, as Cathy and Charon pushed harder to cover the door. With the door pinned in place by a several hundred pound tool case, the Talon Company mercenaries could be heard ramming their bodies into the door. When it failed to give way a few bullets were fired into the door, the effort fruitless. Shouts on the other side demanded their immediate surrender when violence got them nowhere.

"What do we do?" she asked. "We can't go down, Caleb would be in danger."

"The window."

Admiring Charon's ability to think fast in a bad situation, Cathy smiled as she tried to catch her breath.

"I thought the same thing."

"You go first," he ordered. "I'll cup my hands and give you a boost up."

"Sure," She said. "You'll go next. We'll get clear, wait till Talon Company leaves and come back for Caleb."

A blank look came across Charon's face, followed by a crooked smile-cracked and gentle, a strange parallel to his stoic face. The sun from the window hit him below his eyes, highlighting the green-tinted flesh lining his lack of nose, but he seemed so sad it transformed into beauty. The banging behind them dulled in Cathy's ears and she wished she could tell what he was thinking.

"You two aren't that different," Charon said, "But you're the one who's earned a soul."

"I don't understand."

"You're going to get me killed. Now, hurry up, smoothskin."

On bended knee the ghoul laced his fingers together and motioned to Cathy. In her mind she relived memory of her dad doing the same so the kids could hop a barrier and run around the reactor room at night.

"Hurry up," Charon said. "They'll get through that door at some point."

"See you on the other side," Cathy smiled.

He smiled back but not at her.

Placing her foot on the tops of his fingers, Cathy held her breath as he boosted her up to the window. Looking out into the light, she discovered part of a pane still intact and used her elbow to break the glass free. She pulled her sleeves over her arms and pulled herself up.

"I wish I'd told her not to wait anymore," Charon said.

A shove from the heel of her foot drove Cathy the rest of the way through the window. Once her body hit the ground she inhaled sharply and struggled to push away the pain in her ribs. When she pushed up, prepared to turn and pull Charon through, she saw a pair of black boots move in front of her.

A Talon Company mercenary smiled down at Cathy while his companion checked a piece of paper and said one word, "Yep."

Unwilling to surrender, Cathy reached forward and punched one of the men in the shin. He hopped backwards, cursing while the other one pulled something out of his pocket.

"Get out of there, kid," Charon yelled from the window. "I'll give you cover."

A shot gun blast broke through the landscape as one of the men jumped on Cathy's back. She heard the sound of breaking glass and a strange clanking noise as the shot gun went off again. An explosion rocked the ground, as a large hand pressed a cloth over her mouth and nose. The fabric had a smell somewhere between lighter fluid and gasoline and her mind began to grow groggy as she tried to push the hand away.

Kicking her legs, Cathy tried with the last of her strength to knock the mercenary off her chest. She looked over and noticed smoke escaping the windows of the gas station and realized she hadn't heard Charon fire his shotgun in some time. Then he was standing over her, shaking his head. His face didn't look so bad, but when she tried to tell him he faded and everything grew dark.


	9. 28-30

28

A soft pink glow came from the lamps overhead. Basking like a lizard, Cathy felt clean. Her skin seemed fresh, vulnerable, and for once her hair smelled nice. Around the frosted globes the lights repeated themselves twice then came into focus, an uncertain haze lingering.

The linens on the bed were softer than any she'd felt before but not softer than her gown. This place couldn't be Megaton or anywhere else she'd been before. Her vision sparkled, not like glitter, more like the sheen of poor recognition. The way people felt when they woke up from anesthesia. No pain.

Her feet rested on a marble floor. White, with a rose vein moving through it and little gold flakes pressed under lacquer. The richly colored stone met with a matching baseboards, wainscoting, and marble molding at the ceilings. The center part of the wall had been textured with painted a dusty pink, matching the veins in the floor elegantly.

Everything in the room appeared well-made and miss-matched in a whimsical way. Bookcases, desks, a vanity and a bed carved out of wood fill the room-all constructed before the bombs fell and well preserved. Paintings hung over pieces of furniture, fields with grass and trees, distorted tigers morphing through a dreamscape, haystacks against a vivid yellow ground and a badly cracked portrait of a woman with flowers in her lap.

Pieces of fruit sat in a bowl. Real apples. A pear. Small brown things that tasted sweat and papery. Cathy shoved them into her mouth without thinking, sweet juices rolling down her chin. She imagined Fancy Lads Snake Cakes once tasted like these and not diminished syrup and dust. Best yet, her Pip-Boy's Geiger counter didn't sound when she swallowed.

The produce gurgled in Cathy's stomach, each bite a foreign body of nutrition, leaving her intestines confused. She grasped the silky beige gown she wore, pulling the fabric around her abdomen. Acutely aware of her lack of under things, she wondered who put her in this mixture of lace and velour.

After she'd used the bathroom, Cathy stood looking at herself in the mirror. The skimpy dress she wore covered her body but provided nothing for modesty. The folds clung to her frame, making soft whisping noises when she moved. It seemed elegant but she had no idea why anyone would make her wear it.

An unlocking sound came from the main room and Cathy responded by kicking the bathroom door shut. She noticed a latch on her side and flicked it, mortified at the idea of someone seeing her in the transparent gown. Footsteps moved across the apartment, stopping near the bed, moving into the kitchen and then pausing.

"I see you're up."

Burke.

"Cathy," he beckoned. "Come out of the bathroom and talk to me. You've certainly cost me enough money and trouble."

"I'm not really dressed," she said. "Do you have something I can put over this-thing?"

"It's called a slip," Burke responded. "Nice girls wear them under their dresses. Of course I don't expect you to know what nice girls do, after all you've made quite the scene since I left. I can forgive Cathy-don't worry about that, but you have to make it worth my while."

"Worth your while? You left me in that dump. My brother would have left me too if I hadn't followed him."

"That man in Rivet City wouldn't have fucked you, you mean."

Glad a door stood between her and Burke, Cathy covered her face and bit back a violent rage. How dare he speak of her and Harkness like that? Feeling dizzy from the drugs and sudden activity she let a sob escape. A chuckle came from the other side of the door, as if he seemed satisfied by her pain.

"Come out, Cathy. If you don't come out, I'll kick the door down and the doors here are rather expensive."

"Give me something decent to wear and I'll think about it."

A sigh. Trying the doorknob, Burke muttered something she couldn't make out. A scratching came from the knob and then a loud tick as the lock came undone. He opened the door slowly, staring at Cathy through a pair of snowy eyes.

Crossing her arms over her chest Cathy moved, pulling the shower curtain around her body. Burke took a large step and ripped the cloth from her hand, grabbing her by the hair and pulling her behind him as he left the bathroom. Pain shot through Cathy as she clawed and fought to free herself from his grip. When he'd reached the bed Burke shifted his arm and heaved her onto the mattress.

The skirt hiked up when she landed, revealing the lower part of her ass to the man she meant to breakup with. A pair of fingers made their way along the curve at the base of her butt, rounding forward and running along her slit. Her body reacted with a mixture of loathing and arousal. She started on the apology to Harkness in her mind.

She heard Burke move around behind her and felt him cover her with her slip. Clearing his throat, he spoke down to her. "You should show more decorum. I hope that man hasn't taught you to behave like a common whore. If I'd wanted one of those I'd have slept with that Nova."

Something about the way Burke spoke to her made Cathy snap. Her mind filled with a picture of Charon and the smoke coming out of the gas station windows. The horrible reality of what happened shook her. Standing slowly, she clenched her fist, narrowed her eyes and faced Burke with a furry.

"What happened to Charon?"

"Is that the name of your lover?"

"No," Cathy hissed. "He was my brother's bodyguard. I want to know what happened to him."

Behind his glasses his eyes lit up and Burke laughed in her face. "You mean that ghoul slave of his. I have no idea, nor do I care."

"I won't speak to you again until you tell me what happened to Charon." A childish threat, but she didn't have more right now.

"I don't know what happened to him and I don't care. I will never care. I sent those mercenaries to fetch you, not report back about a confused corpse. Why the concern Cathy? He existed as little more than a dog to your brother. Did you fuck him, too?"

"You son of a bitch." Using the mattress to leap at Burke, Cathy swung with her right arm and narrowly missing Burke, who ducked. His leg landed against her thigh, sending her sprawling across the floor. Instantly righting himself, Burke stared down at Cathy with his ice blue eyes, no kindness present.

"You're some kind of masochist, aren't you?"

"Fuck you," She responded. Standing up, she realized she'd banged her knee hard, making the muscles feel weak. Probably the remainders of the anesthesia had loosened her up and made her additionally vulnerable. Still the indignity of her situation combined with her outrage made Cathy unable to accept anything about her fate. Her left fist moved long, jamming itself into Burke's stomach, causing a rewarding groan to escape from his mouth.

"If you wanted me to hurt you," he spat, "you should have just asked."

His hand caught her hair again, using her momentum to pivot her head into the wall. Bouncing backwards after the impact, she stumbled and found herself more disoriented, her focus returning only after he slapped her.

Her immediate reaction after being stuck was to say, "I hate you." She meant it. Worse yet, she hated herself for giving him the satisfaction of seeing her tears.

"You're confused," Burke assured her. "Obviously you need me to set you straight. I shouldn't have left you in Megaton but explaining why I had you with me would have been harder. Tenpenny's mad enough as it is. You've cost me a lot, child, and you keep costing me more. It's time you made up for everything. I'm calling in your chit-your soul is forfeit."

"Keep your hands off of me," Cathy warned. "I'll fight you until I collapse. Can't you see, Burke; we were a mistake, a one-time thing. I've moved on, you need to also."

"You're wrong," he responded. "I love you. I'd started to doubt it but when I heard about you in that man's arms I knew I had to have you again. You're mine now. He's the one you need to say goodbye to."

"He's a better man than you'll ever be," she sniffled. "I'll never say goodbye to him."

A disturbing laugh echoed through the room. Four long steps brought him to her. His fingers writhed their way into her hair, reviving the pain left from his dragging her out of the bathroom. Violence remained a promise in the corner of his eye and this close she could see how excited it made him.

Leaning in slowly, Burke ground himself against her stomach, jerking her ear clear of her hair to expose it to his whispers. His free arm wound around her, as chuckled softly and it made Cathy shake with fear. She couldn't get away from him right now but maybe if he left she could escape.

"That's the trick isn't it?" Burke said. "Your lover can't be more of a man, because he's not even human."

Panic kept Cathy silent long enough to confirm everything. She knew she'd lost but inside she vowed to at least try.

"I don't know what you're talking about," She lied.

He saw through it. He didn't have to say a word thanks to the look on his face. Twisting her head to the other side, Burke shoved his knee between her legs, setting her off balance. In another time and place she'd have dreamed about him touching her, now it made her sick.

"I have spies all over the Wasteland," he whispered. "They told me how you were looking for the android, how you left the ship for the other side and who lived there. They talked to Pinkerton. He bragged to you, what makes you think he wouldn't do the same for others? You make childish mistakes, Cathy Irving; its time a man showed you how to live like a woman."

"You're more monster than any mutant. I'll never forgive you if you rat out Harkness."

"Then let's make a deal," he said. "I don't care that the Head Guard of Rivet City is a robot. I'm willing to forget the reports, chalk your time with him up to sick curiosity about how a windup toy works, and keep you here as my pet. You just have to promise me to cut off all contact with him."

"Is that all?" There had to be strings. God forged this man out of strings. "What about my dad and Caleb?"

"They can visit." He acted generous, lessened his grip on her hair. "I'm sure they will come by after a proper amount of time for our Stockholm Honeymoon. I need more from you, though. No other man can ever touch you and you'll give up any notion of being my proper wife. There are more worthy and powerful women who I need now that my status here is diminished. I want your word you'll never speak to her of our arrangement or cause any problem. She won't care that I fuck you, I just don't want her bothered with your problems."

"Why would I agree to that?" Her loathing grew with every breath.

"Because you have no choice."

To drive the point home Burke shoved his knee hard against her sex, causing her the squirm. He lifted her up and manipulated her around the room, pausing only when they hit the edge of the bed. His hands forced Cathy's shoulders down, his fingers replacing his knee. He stroked her, eliciting moisture and disgust.

Pulling his fingers out he looked at them, a thin string of blood breaking as he separating the digits. Standing backwards Burke looked down at a spot on his knee, his demeanor inhumanly cool.

"Get off the bed," he ordered, "and take that slip off. I'll get you something else to put on."

Cathy stood up, the back of the slip feeling cold and wet when it landed against her leg. Rushing to the bathroom she pealed the straps off her shoulders and let the whole thing flutter onto the floor. She lifted the fabric and looked at the red spot on it. In the mirror her thighs were a crimson smear, confirming what she thought had happened.

A knock came to the door, followed by a woman in a slave collar bringing a box into the bathroom. The slave didn't look at Cathy as she placed on the counter a belt like contraption, cotton lining, and a pair of maroon panties. Bowing her head the woman picked up her dirty slip and left Cathy to tend to her own sanitation.

A hot shower relaxed her. The water lacked radiation, an improvement over every settlement she'd come across in the Wasteland thus far. In truth, every aspect of the apartment stood out as superior to cities she'd seen. Despite the advantages she hugged herself tight and tried to will herself to Rivet City. Certainly her period had saved her from Burke and distracted her from her emotions but right now nothing could keep her thoughts from the horrors at hand.

As the water splashed on her face, she thought about the holes in her brother's home in Megaton. Light moving across the room with the day-when everything felt less overwhelming. The rusty walls in Rivet City, a thousand pivots lining dirty red. Underworld's cracked marble façade. The citizens of every place, spending every day in fear of raiders, mutants and death.

In hindsight the walls of Tenpenny Tower felt like a tomb; a mockery of the broken lives surrounding it. The bombs hadn't equalized, they had twisted, distorted, warped, and Cathy couldn't settle the feeling she'd never belong here.

What would Butch say if he could see everything she had?

This made her laugh. Butch. She hadn't thought about him in days. Once he'd filled her every moment. While they were apart she'd obsess about a thousand tiny details, all related to him. She remembered trying to convince him to let her become a Tunnel Snake, even going so far as to trade some of her clothes for a leather jacket. She'd begged him to share his paint, but it was pointless. No girls allowed.

Out of the shower, she slipped on a silky, dark blue, night gown. In the mirror she a saw a strange woman staring back at her. Her skin had tanned in the sun, causing it to look more like leather than before. She'd put on muscle and lost fat, and dark circles seemed etched under her eyes. Staring forward she realized she hadn't gotten a good look at herself since the vault, because intact mirrors proved rare.

The rest of the day moved with slow meditative strokes. Every crack, crevasse, and space inspected. She discovered both doors to the apartment locked and immediately set about trying to find anything to pick them. Burke had been through. He'd removed anything she could hurt herself with easily and any object that could smash the glass in the bathroom had been removed. Perhaps he thought her to weak to use her fists to break glass but she didn't want to die, she wanted escape.

When she felt tired she assumed it time to go to bed and moved between the covers. All the little things she could use escape pressed at her but she needed sleep. She began to recite song lyrics, stories from movies, the climax of books-anything to keep her thoughts from Harkness or the fact she might die as Burke's captive.

At some point she fell asleep, waking to the sound of the mattress springs creaking. She turned to attack the intruder but found Burke next to her, already grabbing her hands. He didn't need to speak, she knew what he wanted.

Her skirt lifted up and kisses ran down her arms. When she didn't respond Burke busied himself with what he came for then walked to the shower. She tried to find comfort in his cleanliness but couldn't. He called for her from the bathroom and she lay in bed, wishing she could vanish.

Obscuring the light from the other room, he stood in the doorway and said her name again. She continued to ignore. Didn't he have enough?

Eventually he resorted to threats. "It's in your best interest to do what I say, when I say it."

Her body felt heavy as she picked it up and moved towards the bathroom. He told her to strip and she took off her clothes, joining him in the shower for a continuance of earlier. She weathered this like she'd weathered mutants in the subway, with an absence of feeling. Each stroke of his body made her feel colder until he'd built her into a tundra-bare earth-frozen deep.

Putting herself together after the shower, he hovered near her as if she might decide to be kind. Cathy no longer saw Burke; instead she floated a few inches over her body, engrossed in keeping it functional while she pulled on her gown. The material seemed opaque enough to provide a modicum of modesty, as she desired to minimize how long he stared at her skin.

"Will you let me go now?" Her voice sounded hollow, far away.

"You're mine," he said, "and I intend to keep you. I'll have the maid come in the morning; if you feel social please let her know. I can make some time for my darling pet, if she desires."

Her throat formed unnatural words, her voice that of a stranger asking a teacher for a favor. "I'll want to leave in the morning. I would like to see my family and never talk to you again. Do you understand that?"

"You'll come around." He smiled and it seemed cruel. "The machine that pretends to love you will lose his charm with time. Lower yourself and give me a try. You'll find that after a little while, I can make you happy. You'll be a kept thing, which is what you should have been in the first place, but there is pleasure to be had in it. I'm afraid my rambling rose has met her waterloo."

"Quote another song at me and I'll break your face."

"My dear, you've already tried and failed quite badly. If I were you I'd spend the next few days trying to act like a lady, because the wasteland doesn't need another Madame Pompadour. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to my quarters to relax in safety."

"Don't come back."

Pausing at the door, Burke turned and looked at Cathy. "You don't want me to come by tomorrow?" She responded by sitting on the edge of the bed and letting her head hang. Looking at him would only give him more power.

"I won't then. Enjoy your solitude."

Frustration made her look up and unfortunately he noticed this and smiled victoriously. He seemed disappointed she had nothing else to add. What could he want, words of love? She had nothing for him of any value so she resumed staring downwards, wishing for him to vanish. Starving to death in this room had to be better than living with her tormentor.

Clearing his throat he began to quote some poem she'd never heard before:

With sweet May dews my wings were wet,

And Phoebus fir'd my vocal rage;

He caught me in his silken net,

And shut me in his golden cage.

He loves to sit and hear me sing,

Then, laughing, sports and plays with me;

Then stretches out my golden wing,

And mocks my loss of liberty.

Another pause while he stood in the door. The light behind him left his features in shadow, she couldn't see him if she tried. Yet he lingered, waiting for something.

"I'll break free, Burke."

He said nothing.

Rising up to face him fully, Cathy felt like a specter from hell. Her fists balled and a power filled her she hadn't felt since the day she'd did Psycho. An electric current filled the air and she could sense every inch of Burke taking notice.

"I hate you," she hissed. "I will use this hate to free myself from your jail, then your winged thing will show you the meaning of abomination. I will reign down death upon you and this tower, finally scouring the Wasteland of its rot. Until that day, I will tolerate your abuse, knowing you must see how little you mean to me. One day, Burke, one beautiful fucking day, I will have my freedom and you will discover the ways of a maiden turned harpy."

A grin containing more teeth than a human should have filled Burke's face. His smile combined with the backlighting made him seem eerily supernatural. "I have no doubt you could destroy me, dear girl. No doubt at all, however; I trust myself to be more cunning and more ruthless. I believe you will soon know you've been bested and maybe you will even come to appreciate it. Now try to get some sleep, you'll need something to help you pass the next few days alone."

29

In the loneliest moments she imagined all the people she knew in the bed next to her. Caleb brushed her bangs back, telling her she didn't look stupid with them. He felt so warm on the vault bed and she loved her brother so much right then. Harkness' toe pointed at the ceiling while he wiggled his foot and told her about his home. Her father sat on the edge of the bed, rubbed her back and promised things wouldn't hurt so bad tomorrow. Dad, you were wrong.

In the least lonely moments she crawled over every inch of the apartment. Laying down on her back, she'd inched her shoulders up centimeter by centimeter then used the leverage to pull the rest of her along. It hurt, but not as much as the rage welling up inside. If she didn't expel it soon she'd explode.

She'd memorized the hidden cracks, noticed every instance of repaired furniture edges and each crevice something might fall in. She'd taken the paintings off the wall several times, twisting the wire between her fingers and debating if it could pick the locks. She'd picked at splinters, hoping they could provide a means of escapes, and fiddled with the doors with regular repetition.

Once during the morning, and a second time during the evening, a slave woman came into the room. The red dot on her collar blinked, casting a reflection on the wall. Food, fresh clothes, hygiene items, and soaps sat in the box. Despite Cathy's best efforts, the woman never said a word. She'd follow at her heels, blabbering endlessly about the injustice of her captivity. The slave proved hard to penetrate but Cathy kept trying, she had nothing to lose.

On the third day she knew what to say.

"I can disarm your bomb collar."

The slave woman turned and studied Cathy with a wary eye. She was pretty enough, long black hair, slight South-East Asian features, smooth skin. Her foot nervously kicked at the white dress she wore, revealing bare feet underneath. Thinking.

"You can't," she said at last.

Turning to leave the room, the slave seemed to have put the thought out of her mind immediately. Cathy cracked a smile as she watched her go. "You're nervous because you know I'm telling the truth. It's why they won't let me have anything more than bed linens."

Pausing again, the woman turned and looked at Cathy. They searched each other's faces for the truth-the slave too stoic for Cathy's comfort. Her hands twitched and she moved towards the woman, sitting on the bed felt too confining.

Lifting her hand, the slave woman walked over the bathroom door, wiped down the counter and shut it on her way out. Walking towards the back of the apartment, she picked up a plastic plate filled with fruit and pretended to inspect it. Eternity passed before she spoke.

"Two way glass."

"What?" Cathy asked.

"Two way glass. He can see and hear you but you can't see or hear him."

Cathy didn't need to ask who.

"I'm so dangerous he even give me privacy."

The urge to cry built up inside her and she wondered how many violation he'd heap on. Here she stood an emotionally distraught mess. She closed her eyes and remembered the woman pinned under the ruble, her hip pinched in an impossibly small way. She remembered how her hands reached up, pleading for a God who would never answer. Colvin said Cathy could do well, if she let God move through her and yet the best she could do-put a bullet in a woman's head. Presently if she messed up with the slave collar, she'd blow the head off and undeserving woman. Would the freedom of death be greater than servitude?

"What do you need," The woman asked.

"The price is a bobby pin and a screwdriver," Cathy said. "I can do a lot with a little. I really only need the bobby pin, so if you can't get the screwdriver, no big deal."

"It won't mean nothing if the light blinks."

"That'll be harder to rig, cost you more."

"I can't smuggle a weapon," She said. "I can barely smuggle a screw driver. At least I have a valid excuse to have it on me. Before I agree to anything I want to know what you want. Name your price."

Whatever the woman thought she wanted didn't matter; her next request came from need. This had to be personal or her hand might shake, her mind might wander.

"Price is your name."

"Pardon?" The slave's hand came to hear heart and she looked angry.

"I want to know your name."

"Name's all I got."

"I need to know who you are so I don't mess up. Hell, you can lie and I probably won't know. I'm offering you freedom; a name is a little thing."

Clenching her fists, the woman tilted her head to the side, obviously pondering Cathy's request. It seemed innocent yet unusual. Trying to be sympathetic, Cathy closed the space between them, her fingers ahead of her as she slid them onto the woman's shoulder. The slave flinched and it broke Cathy's heart.

"I want to help you," She said. "I want to help all of the slaves in the wasteland. Did you know Mei?"

A dark shadow passed over the woman's face and she turned away. Cathy withdrew her hand and crossed her arms.

"She died."

"Mei is alive. I bought her a gun to keep her safe. She has a home now. I can't tell you where but if you bring me what I ask, if you let me disarm your collar, I promise to tell you where she is. If you're friends you can go to her and I'm sure she'll help you out. A good man runs the settlement she's from, he wants the slaves to be free. He was a slave once, you see."

Eyes wide with disbelief, the woman wagged her head up and down. She wanted to believe, wanted to think that somewhere out in the wastes someone could save her. Courage had been robbed of most Wastelanders and shrewd determination existed as a substation. Walking out the door would take a lot of both.

The slave's hand brushed gently across the red light.

"Mei is why we wear the collars. Tenpenny ordered it, said he wanted to make sure we'd die before we left his service for free."

"Tenpenny is a monster," Cathy responded. "I want to see him dead."

"He stands out on the porch during the day." The woman smiled. "He is always armed. A frail old man with a big gun. I've thought about kicking him off from time to time."

Hand over her mouth, Cathy looked at the woman closely. This conversation had no morals and she knew the real cost of freedom. An agreement forged between them, Mei had been right about Tenpenny and the man needed to pay for his crimes.

"He wanted to blow up Megaton," Cathy said. "He sent Burke to do it. That's how we met. I talked Burke out of it."

"I knew you were from Megaton," the slave said. "I heard him talking about you once. He would have let you go, left you to die there if he hadn't heard about your lover on the radio. He wanted to send you a letter ending it so he could marry the ex-slaver who runs the store downstairs."

These words did nothing to comfort Cathy. Her arms pressed tighter into her chest and she could feel the blood drain from her face. Normally she'd fly into a rage but that would scare the slave woman whose favor she'd fought for. They looked at each other, mutual loathing.

"He keeps talking about sending you to Paradise Falls for conditioning," The slave added. "He's no better than Tenpenny-I knew a conditioned girl, horrible stuff. You'd lose everything and live only for him."

"Help me gain your freedom instead."

Scratching her head, the slave woman looked at the doors which lead to the balcony. Light spilled out from the bottom lip and when you pressed your nose to it you could smell fresh air. Cathy could almost poke a finger through it.

"Nina."

"Nina," She repeated. "Good to meet you."

"I can get over the fence," Nina said. "I'm not worried about me. You might have to fight your way out."

"Who has my Plasma Rifle?" Cathy asked.

"Some man bought it off a guard yesterday. Real handsome guy. I think he's helping the ghouls living near the train yard."

Cathy's gut churned at the news.

"I'll start with what I find on the balcony then. The distraction will be a good for someone looking to hop the wall."

"What I was thinking."

"I can be ruthless, I guess."

"One thing," Nina added. "Daring Dashwood is a good man. He's bought some of us when he can afford it and set us free. He even talked to the board about letting the ghouls stay here. Don't hurt him if you can avoid it."

"Dashwood," Cathy muttered. "The guy from the radio program?"

"Same," Nina said. "Good guy-some people say he even helps runaways from the north. Some place called the Commonfortune or something."

"The Commonwealth."

She couldn't kill Daring Dashwood now and Nina seemed to sense it.

Picking up her housekeeping basket, Nina moved into the bathroom to replace the soap. Cathy wondered if she'd forgotten it on purpose. If Burke were on the other side he had an expectation of what he'd see and she decided to give it to him.

"You should reconsider talking to me," Cathy said, standing behind Nina. "I could be very helpful. I could talk to Burke about setting you free."

A hard pause and a strong shutter passed through Nina. Cathy saw her eyes close in the mirror and wondered about the reaction. Slowly she refolded the wash cloth, the soap already replenished. The old one still had hundreds of showers to go. More waste.

Without another word, Nina passed from the bathroom towards the door and knocked twice. A guard opened the door, confirmed the slave stood there and moved aside. A white swishy dress exited the room and the door slammed shut. Twenty for hours of silence would pass then Cathy could possibly escape.

Euphoria kept her moving around the apartment. The objects in the room took on a new luster as she considered each one as a weapon for survival. By the end of the night she had unwound a picture wire from the haystack painting. Twisting it up she hid the metal piece under the mattress and slid the painting beneath the bed. The canvas flaked as she set the brightly colored picture on the ground leaving off-white canvas in place of paint.

As time passed grew tired of plotting and decided to take a shower. In the bright red night gown Burke sent to her, she made her way to the bathroom and turned on the water. Looking in the mirror she remembered Nina's words. Her hand hesitated at the string to her gown, one finger sliding along her collar bone as the strap slid down her arm.

Burke could be watching and more than anything else she wanted to torture him. Make him pay for violating her body as if she were nothing but trash. She looked at her reflection, noticing how sultry she seemed in the gown and decided to use his mirror against him.

Light of step, Cathy squeezed her breasts between her fingers, rolling her nipples between the fabric. The silky texture against her hard skin made her wish she could enjoy the gown with someone she cared about. She pressed her pussy against the edge of the counter, the pressure from the marble sending vibrations down her spine.

She'd accidently done this before, finding the edge of a surface pressed against her clit-only before she moved away quickly. If Burke sat on the other side of the mirror she wanted to give him a show, but without the reward of seeing her body again. Her hips rocked, the feverish sensation controlling her.

At times the sensation bordered on painful and she felt glad for the extra padding between her and the counter. Blood had escaped from around her thighs, staining the front of her dress a little, disguised slightly because of the color.

Breathing harder now, Cathy pressed down on her nipples harder, the pain egging her body on. She'd only felt this peak before in Rivet City and as she gyrated the thoughts of the men she'd held dear spread through her mind. Sweet and childish Butch. Dignified and masculine Harkness. Most horrible Burke. Her thoughts strayed, focusing on his resting on the other side of the glass, reacting to her behavior with private lust.

Thoughts drifted from Burke to the first time she saw a bird, a horrible crow perched on a rock outside the Vault. On rare occasion she'd heard a song bird, but it never stayed for long. The Wasteland wasn't friendly to small things. The largest thing she ever saw had to be a Supermutant. That woman pinched under the rubble-her body crushed and destroyed. Brains. GNR plaza coated in blood. The look on Charon's faces when he told her they'd escape the garage and be okay.

Shaking her head, she tried to drive the dark memories away, each one filling her with an oppressive blackness that hung off her limbs like tar. She didn't want to feel this way and think like that, it felt like giving in. Refocus on something good and she tried to force the soft buzzing of Harkness's body against hers as he experienced his climax. A human toy. Mei. Tenpenny's doll, who flung herself off the building. Would Cathy have to fling herself off the building? Stopping her thoughts again, she focused on Harkness.

Pressing her clit harder against the counter, Cathy whispered. "I love you."

This brought a smile to her lips, so she groaned louder. "I love you."

Then again. "I fucking love you more than anything else."

Almost at her climax, her lips felt tight and hot, as if they would hang limp when she finished. Her legs kicked out in a stiff nervous jolt and she wondered if she could hold herself up while she finished. Desperate for her own pleasure, she leaned forward, her top spilling open to reveal her breasts to the mirror.

Wide mouth and lock-legged, her whole body buckled as her orgasm ripped through her. She pulsed up and down, a throaty scream announcing her success to the world. Eyes closed, dress a disheveled, blood stained, mess. Done Cathy ran her fingers through her hair and smiled.

"Harkness," She called out. "Harkness, save me."

Dismounting the counter, her hips felt wobbly and Cathy's foot gave way. Her body fell backwards, catching the wall as her feet slid up into the air. A towel dislodged from the rack and fell onto her head. She pulled it off and laughed, knowing she looked ridiculous. The her mood began to sink as she realized how desperate and childish her actions were. She felt gross suddenly, and wished she could scour herself from existence. This melded with a sudden fear of pissing off Burke and she found herself hoping he hadn't seen her show.

Heavy breaths came from her chest as she rolled over onto her side and pressed her cheek into the cold marble floor. She fingered the screw cover on the bottom of the toilet and watched as it spun. Every inch of her felt defeated. Her heart leap into her chest as a loud bang came from her living area.

Scrambling up onto her elbows, Cathy looked up as Burke stormed into the bathroom. A pair of sun glasses reflected her ridiculous state back at her. Question answered. With a smug grin, she ran her fingers through her hair and pulled her legs under her. If you have to fight the devil, might as well look like you know what you're doing.

"I'm fantastic," she said. "You really shouldn't have bothered coming all this way; I have other things to do."

"I don't know how you figured out the mirror," Burke said, "But it's about time someone showed you what a whore you really are."

"Big words from a bad man."

Stewing in place, Burke stared down at her with a visible intensity. His hand ran down his jaw, pinching his chin before it rested on the marble counter. Picking up the soap he threw it at her, the bar ricocheted off her body and into the wall.

The pain of being hit with the soap made Cathy worry but at the same time the ridiculousness of it left his gesture powerless.

"It's going to take more than that, Charlie."

"Shameless hussies don't get to use my Christian name."

Pushing up from sitting, Cathy stood on wobbly legs and pointed at Burke.

"I like Charlie. Suits you better. It's time I got some pleasure out of this relationship, instead of waiting for you to grow some balls and act like a man."

"You don't know the trouble you're begging me for. Please continue though. If you think your life is bad now, wait until you've made me mad. I'm going to win, Cathy. I'm going to win because I am a very poor loser."

Remembering Nina talking about conditioning, Cathy wondered if the prudent thing would be to shut up. Burke had hired thugs to chase her down, kidnap her, and drag her back to the tower. Obviously the man had a bloated idea self and would stop at nothing for what he wanted. Still, she hated being seeing as property and wouldn't give in without a good fight.

"What you going to do Charlie? Are you going to get some goons to beat me up, show me my place? Maybe you'll let a party gang rape me, just like Tenpenny likes to do to his girls. I'm sure ole'Mr. Penny will be grateful for a new cunt to abuse."

A slap landed across her face and Cathy's torso lurched in an uncomfortable way. A throbbing sensation caused the pain to spread from the point of impact, down her neck, and into her shoulder. Before she could respond he reached forward with the offending hand and wrapped it around her throat, forcing her backwards into the bathroom wall.

"You think you know about Tenpenny?" His voice remained cold and detached, the way he sounded when she first met him. He couldn't have made himself more frightening.

"Do you think you know what life is like in the tower?"

Opening her mouth to speak, Cathy discovered she didn't have enough air to respond. Everything went blurry for a second, then Burke loosened his grip and she grabbed on to his arm, trying not to fall.

"Let me tell you something sweetheart, no one in this fucking place would bat an eye if your body ended up in the incinerator downstairs."

In her oxygen deprived haze, Cathy fancied she saw Moriarty laughing from just over Burke's shoulder. At the time she'd wondered if she'd end up with him, dead and rotting in a pre-war hole. A shake from Burke brought her back to the situation.

"Don't make me destroy him to prove how much I love you."

This statement puzzled Cathy. She thought about it while she pulled against Burke's arm, she needed to get away.

"I don't know who you're talking about," She rasped.

"You know who."

His face came dreadfully close to hers-she could sense the five o'clock shadow on his cheek without touching it. His hand grew tighter again, making air scarce and adding to her delirium. In her confusion she debated nuzzling his face but remembered her life dangled on the line because of him. The enemies' name was Burke and she needed to resist if at all possible.

"I don't know." Barely a whisper.

"You spoke his name so sweetly just a few moments ago."

"Harkness," Cathy said.

Wide eyed and full of fear, Cathy became a mess of claws and limbs as she tried to fight her way free. Her fingers tore at his suit, nails drew blood from his face, as she tried to do anything to break away. Legs kicked franticly at his, her bare feet trying to find hold in any place that would give her power. Meanwhile Burke stood there calmly, exerting little effort, his hand a good squeeze away from crushing her throat.

"You'd do well to forget his name."

Punctuating his words, Burke lifted Cathy off the ground slightly and brought her down against the plaster hard. The blow to her head and pressure on her throat made her feel more panicked. Flailing harder, she became lost in the need to survive this encounter. Finally her leg found the space between his and her shin slammed hard into his genitals.

Burke's fist loosened as he doubled over and Cathy took the opportunity to flee. Running into the apartment, she felt desperate for anything she could find to save herself. Tripping over gown, she looked at the space between the mattresses where she stashed the wire.

With zeal she yanked out the wire and began to twist it around her hands, leaving a slack part in the middle. The metal shards dug into her skin and left a thousand tiny scratches on her skin. Fear produced enough adrenaline to make Cathy feel powerful and as Burke emerged from the bathroom she pounced on him. Steel wire slipped over his head, knocking his sunglasses off and giving her a hell of a ride.

Slamming her into the wall, Burke pulled on the wire that cut into his throat. Bucking forward, Cathy dug her feet in and held on. Seeing him helpless made her feel strong and she pulled the cord as hard as she could.

Despite her burning throat she croaked, "Don't like it, do you?"

Still on Burke's back, Cathy followed him clumsily as he ran forwards towards the dining table. When he stopped she twisted her wrists and brought the wire closer to her face, the edges of it cutting deep into her hands. Suddenly, Burke backed into her using all of his force.

Burke swung his body backwards, towards the bathroom counter, picking his speed. Cathy turned and loosened her hold as the counter came into view. Before she could react they were in the bathroom, her leg wedged against the vanity. Her turn to double over in pain.

"I think you broke my fucking leg," She screamed.

On his knees, Burke took this opportunity to rip the picture wire from her bleeding hands. He held wire in one hand and rubbed his throat. A fine trickle of blood collected at his collarbone, the abrasions from the wire already turning purple. A pair of angry blue eyes met Cathy's as she rubbed her leg, trying to make the pain go away. Burke grabbed the front of her nightgown and ripped the fabric as he drew her to him. His lips fell on hers, which remained cold and withdrawn.

"You must want me to hurt you." He sounded passive. "Pretty baby, all you had to do is ask. By your current play, I'm guessing you don't want a safe word. Fine, daddy can make it rough as you need."

A hand came out of nowhere and slammed Cathy's head into the vanity. Blood streaked down her hair. She watched it trickle, amazed at how orange it seemed. People were wrong when they said blood had a red tone-the color had yellow too, but not like mutant blood.

Lifting her arm up over her head, Cathy felt her shoulder jerk and watched as she caused a red streak to smear across the wall. Fingers dug into her side as Burke lifted into the air. Moments later she fell hard onto the bed. Ancient springs groaned as Burke crawled over the top of her, his face red and swollen.

"You're fucking stupid," she laughed. Why this was funny?

When he said nothing she continued.

"I won't love you if you do this to me," She said. "You'll just ejaculate. Apparently that's all you want. You're not a man, Charlie. You're a selfish child who wouldn't know how to love, even if it came from the best woman in the world. Crawl back to your hole, you pathetic worm."

Somehow her words struck home and Burke stood back disgusted. She heard him scoff, then move around the room. Water ran in the bathroom and she blacked out for a moment. Coming too, she saw him standing near the door, holding the towel to his throat.

"You messed up." These words were sincere, completely lacking any sense of threat. "Cathy Irving, you'll soon learn what it takes to be a good, loyal, plaything. I'll see to it that you're happy. Even if you don't know how to be happy right now, I'll make you learn the definition. It's a gift, if you will. The gift of joy, something lost on so many."

"Whatever," She muttered. She needed to sleep now, despite knowing not to sleep with a concussion.

"Go to sleep or don't," Burke said. "When Banfield gets up here you'll be out for a few days, I'll see to it. Don't worry baby, you'll learn how good being with your man can be. To bad you didn't know the cost, the self is something scared. I look forward to watching it torn from you."

"Fuck you," she muttered. Almost unconscious.

"Not until you're better, dear."

30

Three days after Cathy woke up, Nina returned to her rotation. She had no idea how long she'd been kept asleep via drugs but she felt it had been a long period of time. This captivity proved worse than the last, as the doctor ordered her restrained to the bed. Burke made it sound like she'd tried to commit suicide but Dr. Banfield saw through his lies. The only thing saving here was the doctors order that one of the slaves to read to her throughout the day.

Different slaves would enter throughout the day, helping Cathy onto the patio, under armed guard, and watched as she stood in the sun. The fresh air felt good and she'd spend as much time possible studying the landscape beyond. She would escape. Her companions never spoke to her, outside of reading books, and Cathy wondered how much all of this cost Burke. He must be insanely rich.

Her throat felt like fire but she ate and drank despite the pain. She needed to be strong for her escape. The first time Nina returned, the slave woman's face grew pale and she looked concerned. Sponge bath's had beep keeping Cathy from seeing the results of her fight with Burke but from the look of her hands things were rough. She had no idea why Banfield hadn't given her Stims, but she assumed Burke had something to do with it. Probably trying to teach her a lesson.

During her time reading, Nina glanced up and added dialog in the same monotone voice she read in. "Burke doesn't suspect anything between us. I don't know what happened but we need to keep things calm for awhile. I'm working on getting you your goods. You still up for it."

"Sure," Cathy said. Her eyes grew moist at the news. Being contained here made her insane and the only thing that keep her from giving into depression was the hope she'd see Harkness again soon. "Keep reading, ignore me. I'll behave as if nothing happened."

Nina waited until the next day to smuggle Cathy the screwdriver and hairpins. Pressing them into her friend's hand, she looked around and loosened the arm and leg restraints. Fortunately the guard never entered for story time and she could move around quietly. To cover their tracks Nina began to speak in the same rhythm at which the read, while Cathy nervously fiddled with the wires on the bomb collar.

Her hands were raw from the wire, covered in mostly healed scabs, with a long red patch of newly healed skin in the center of her hand. Banfield must have treated her with a healing concoction she didn't know, because her hands should be stiffer. With the collar finally off, Nina flexed her neck and rubbed at waxy skin underneath. From the moist warping of her flesh under the collar, she'd had the thing on for awhile.

Still reciting the basic elements of a children's story, Nina watched curiously as she used the screwdriver to activate the red light. It resumed blinking, but the explosives were not hooked up to anything. The look on Nina's face when she restored the collar threatened to cripple Cathy's heart but she seemed to sense this and nodded to let her know it was okay.

With the red blinking light reflecting off the tip of her fingers, Cathy stepped back and hung her head. Nina reached over and squeezed her shoulder.

"It'll be alright."

"You're the one who has to walk through the tower and hope no one notices I fixed your collar. I'd think you'd be more anxious."

"Worse that happens is I die. Death's better than living like this."

"I'm starting to understanding how you feel." Cathy's eyes fell on the restraints hanging from the bed. The two women looked at the leather cuff and then refocused back on each other. Indicating the door with her head Nina smiled.

"I'm going to tell the guard you requested a new book," She said. "You got to lay there like you're still tied in case he's in sight when I open the door. After that you're on your own."

"Are you excited about your new future? You're free now too."

"I want you to make a big mess of things," She said. "I need one hell of a distraction to get over the wall and not have the guards after me."

"They'll be busy," Cathy promised. "I'll send word when I'm safe."

"You mean when Burke's dead." Nina crossed her arms and stared at the back door. "Don't think you can have a day's peace before you burry him in the ground. Do it deep too, so deep only the devil could come back."

These words stung for a reason Cathy couldn't explain. With hesitation, she nodded and lay back on the bed. Lifting up her limbs she distorted her face in mockery of her bondage and Nina chuckled despite herself.

"You're insane," Nina said. "Good Luck."

"Good luck," Cathy returned. "Try not to die."

Rolling her eyes, Nina turned and headed towards the door. On the outside Cathy heard her start to say something about a book before the door swung shut. Leaping from her bed, Cathy ran across the room and began to pick the lock. Burke had taken all of the paintings from the room, so she didn't have another makeshift garrote.

The sunshine on the patio felt more golden and radiant than ever before. Shutting the doors, Cathy leaned over the railing and looked excitedly at the fifty foot drop. She wouldn't go down that way if she didn't have to but it would be better than being captured again. Her legs were still sore from the fight but she moved as fast as possible around the railing.

Rounding the first corner she came across a pair of doors and tried them. Locked. Scurrying forward again she stopped when she noticed a man in a red suit sitting in a pair of mid-century-modern chairs. Shock white hair topped a pinched, wrinkled face. The old man lifted a sniper rifle-making Cathy's heart stop-and aimed at something over the rail.

Relief flooded her body when he didn't shoot her on sight and she struggled to catch her breath. Looking in the direction of the gun scope, Cathy noticed a two people walking through the desert, tiny dots on the horizon. A crack came from the gun and one of the dots fell over. The old man lowered the weapon and considered his shot. Taking a sip from a drink sitting on a table next to him, he hummed and seemed pleased.

"You must be Cathy," he said with a British accent. Cathy's ears perked, she hadn't expected that.

"How'd you know?"

"You beat the snot out of Burke." He seemed amused by this. "I assumed he did the same to you. Boy doesn't know when to quit. Say, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

Tenpenny's face brightened up at her response. "You're funny. So tell me, funny girl, do you think its worse to leave the lover alive after I've killed her partner, or should she join him in death now?"

It took Cathy a moment to realize Tenpenny spoke of the Wastelander he'd shot. Painfully, she turned to see the dots on the horizon, one shifted. Probably too upset to run away.

Holding the butt of the rifle towards Cathy Tenpenny smiled.

"Would you care to look?" he offered.

Being handed a gun made Cathy twitch. She stared at Tenpenny with a combination of tension and disbelief. He didn't seem afraid. The clip still in place, Cathy wondered why he'd do something so foolish. Her hand slid down the hickory butt, drawing it to her shoulder and swinging the tube towards the people on the ground. Through the scope she zoomed in on a woman in leather armor crying over a corpse.

The trigger eased around Cathy's fingers and a bead of sweat started at her brow and ended on the back of her neck. The woman crying had no effect on her anymore, she's switched off so she could escape and it would prove for the better. Next to her, Tenpenny shifted in his chair.

"Why did you want to blow up Megaton?

A scoff came from the old British Man. She heard him take a sip of his drink and place the glass on the marble table next to his chairs. Cathy pretended to be interested in the couple, weighing her decision.

"That eyesore," Tenpenny complained. "Every morning I wake up; have an iguana bit sandwich with no salt and a bottle of Brahmin milk. After that I walk out on my patio and look across the Wasteland and see the horrible metal machination. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly. It needs to burn."

Lowering the gun, Cathy stared at the old man.

"You wanted to kill hundreds of people because their city ruined your view?"

"That's the gist of it."

Rage and shock shook Cathy. Her head felt light for a second as she considered the implications of everything this man stood for. She stood atop the pinnacle of his power, holding a gun he used to shoot innocent for sport. Every dollar Tenpenny spent on his tower could have been used to make people's lives better. Instead of showing humility and grace at the gifts he'd been given, his heart turned black and sadistic. She hated Alistair Tenpenny.

"What's your verdict?" the old man asked. "Life or death?"

"Death."

The rifle proved so powerful she didn't need to aim. Pivoting on her hip, she dropped down, braced her body, and fired into his chest. A hole the size of a baseball remained afterwards.

Preparing to fight the guards, Cathy aimed at the door she knew they'd come running through. Minutes passed and no one rushed towards the source of the shot. She cocked her head and looked at the dead man. That his men ignored the sound of his gun let her know how many Wastelanders had fallen for his amusement.

Spitting on his corpse, she immediately opened the door to his apartment.

As the doors swung wide, Cathy stared wild eyed at the center of the room. A single shaft of sunlight came down from the ceiling, landing on a patch of dirt sprouting delicate flowers. Real flowers, the kind she'd only seen in books.

Leaning down she ran a finger along a petal, then rubbed the broadside of it between her fingers. She cradled another between her hands, lifted up, and broke the stem from the plant. Following a memory from movie she lifted it to her nose and inhaled. A slight smell stirred in her nose, followed by a violent sneezing fit.

Recovering from the allergy attack, Cathy looked back down at the flowers and smiled. Suddenly she remembered the woman weeping over the corpse of her companion and felt disgusted. How could a monster grow something so gentle and tender?

The rest of the room held a cornucopia of wealth. Immaculate portraits of ancient nobles, large tapestries woven to show idle hobbies of the wealthy, statues made out of expensive materials and matching furniture sets to put the one in her room to shame.

Every surface yielded to her touch. With each room Cathy's amazement grew and when she stepped into the bedroom she never felt surer killing Tenpenny had been right. A pair of leather cuffs lay tied to the bed and Polaroid-photographs of bound and beaten women lay around the floor. On the edges of photographs were written numbers with a grease pen-an indecipherable ranking system based on unknown criteria.

Turning away from the pictures, Cathy opened the wardrobe. Inside hung a menagerie of costumes and clothing to gaudy to be any value in the wastes. Pulling out a beaded green dress with lace edges, Cathy laid it on the bed and wondered how this world could exist while people starved to death a few miles away.

A knock came at the front door and Cathy pulled the gun to her chest. Walking through the rooms slowly, a guard scanned the open doorways before he started to walk towards the patio door. Fortunate for her, the bedroom sat at the back of the apartment. Lifting the gun to her shoulder, Cathy sent a bullet through the guard's stomach. He died instantly.

More time passed as she waited for the other guards to come storming in. When no one noticed, she abandoned the freakish wardrobe to move towards the exit. At some point the guards would realize this one had gone missing. Before she opened the door a thought occurred to her and she turned around to pull a knight stick, a pair of boots and a side pistol off the man's corpse.

Pistol raised and sniper rifle slung over her shoulder, she opened the front door, swung out into the hall, and put a hole in the chest of the guard in front of her door. Shouts sounded from another room but Cathy flew towards the stairs before they could find her. She managed to run down several flights before her chest grew tight and her wounds ached.

Footsteps started up the stairwell and Cathy stepped backwards into the door frame. This flung her onto a floor full of residents, who ran screaming from the crazy looking woman in a slip. As she paced slowly around the central support beam, the voice of an old man came from behind her.

"In here if you want to escape, Missy."

She turned and looked at a wrinkled old codger with a smiling mouth and squinty eyes. He waved and she followed, she had no other choice, the guards would begin searching the floor any minute. She found herself in an apartment filled with mementos of adventures past. A skull from a deformed Brahmin sat atop a case full of similar oddities and she began to piece together who offered the help.

"Daring Dashwood," She sputtered. "You're really here."

"Guilty as charged," Daring responded. "Nina told me you'd be making an escape attempt, so I thought I'd do my part. Retirements dull and it sure is hard to ignore a damsel in distress. Plus I have a penchant for helping folks who need helping."

"I know," she said. "I've listened to your radio show."

"All of it true-well-mostly."

Hands banged on the door and Daring motioned for Cathy to move behind the bookshelf and crouch down. Glad to rest after running down the stairs, she lay on the floor and drew her knees up into her chest. Listening for a sign she needed to run out of the room, she swallowed hard and tried to calm her beating heart.

"Sorry to disturb you," a man announced. "We're looking for a criminal we believe to be hiding on this floor."

"I'm afraid I can't help you," Daring said. "I've been in my room listening to my radio show. Perhaps you've heard it playing on GNR? The Adventures of Herbert 'Daring' Dashwood."

"Yes sir," The guard groaned. "So you haven't seen or heard anything unusual?"

"Are you asking me if I have a beautiful young woman hiding in my room, waiting for you to leave so she can spend time with me? Well, you might be surprised by the answer to that."

Laughter came from the guards, who thanked Daring before continuing to the other rooms. The little old man appeared near Cathy before she had time to really process what had happened. He offered his hand to help her stand and she took it, holding back so he didn't strain himself.

The room contained enough weapons and gear to protect even the weakest of Wastelander but she couldn't imagine asking for any of it. Instead she walked around the apartment dutifully, wondering how to escape from a building full of armed men. Behind her Daring Dashwood picked up a shotgun and pressed it into her hands.

"This will do more for you in close quarters," he said, "But you have to drop it when it runs out of ammo. There isn't a lot, I apologize. I wish I could give you something better to wear but I'm afraid my clothes are all too big."

"I'll make it somehow," Cathy shrugged.

The reminder of her state of undress made Cathy feel very stupid. Trying to escape while wearing a slip felt ridiculous, even if she'd found shoes and weapons. Her mind in a panic, Cathy tried to focus on the fact she needed to get out of here and clothes were only a minor detail. She could run out of the building naked if she had to. Sure she would have to fight past well armored people to get outside but she had to believe she could do it.

A cloth bag landed at her feet. Cathy looked up to see Daring winking at her. Opening the bag she discovered old military rations, a handful of Stimpacks and two bottles of water. Sealing the bag back she tied it to her hip and nodded at Daring. "Thanks."

"My pleasure," he responded. "Just promise me you'll get to safety fast. Usually there is a trader in the buildings right outside the gates; they might help you get back to Megaton for a price. Best I can do."

"It's more than most people would," Cathy said. "I'll try to do you proud."

"I can offer you one more advantage." Daring exclaimed, pointing with his finger towards a bookcase. "I'm going to need your help taking things off it so I can move it."

"Sure," Cathy said.

Picking up two jars full of snake rattles, Cathy moved them over to the side as Daring took more objects off the shelves and replaced them. Both worked for several minutes, displacing years of collected trophies, until the shelves were clear. Clear of clutter, Daring slid the wooden case aside and revealed a small, rectangular opening.

Leaning into the hole, Cathy looked down at a shaft of darkness. She whistled and the sound echoed off the metal shoot, followed by creaking from the building. Turning to look at Daring, she shook her head. She couldn't do this.

"I'll fall."

He seemed apologetic.

"I don't have a better option," Daring said. "You're young and strong, you should be able to control your fall. You'll come out in the restaurant's storage room. The door should be unlocked."

As if repeating his words would make the shaft less frightening, she whispered, "I won't fall."

"You won't," Daring said, "And if you do you'll only break a leg and have to use a Stimpack or two."

"I'm not sure that helps me feel better.

Dashwood turned to look at the door, then rushed over towards Cathy. Placing his hand on her shoulder he spoke softly into her ear.

"Listen, those guards aren't going to stay gone for very long. I imagine they are doing room sweeps as we speak. That shaft is dark, nasty, dangerous, and full of spiders-but if you don't go down it, you'll never make it out of this building."

"Spiders," Cathy inhaled deeply. "Small ones right?"

"You can't let spiders top you," he pleaded. "Crawl inside and go."

Imagining she could hear the guard on the other side of the door, Cathy lifted up her feet and hovered on the edge of the elevator entrance. Her shoulders dug into the metal plating in a painful way and she listened to the support beams groaning. Trying to psych herself up, she reached out with her right foot, then quickly brought it back to the ledge. Killing Supermutants and feral ghouls might have become rote, but climbing into dark death made her cringe.

"I have to replace the bookshelf and items before they come in here."

"Keep safe Daring."

"I'll try."

Walking her legs forward she managed to wedge her feet against the sides. The sniper rifle shifted. A hand landed on her shoulder and Daring helped her loosen the strap so it fell down around her waist and left her upper back and shoulders free to press into the wall. She braced her body but her legs were holding all of her weight. Taking a step down she slid a few feet, abrading her skin against the rusted patches, and forcing the metal out with a worrying 'pop.'

Immediately her legs shook and she began to wonder if she could keep this up all the way down. She looked at the light coming from Daring's room and debated crawling back up, when the bookshelf slid back in place, obscuring the light.

Shifting each leg down slowly, Cathy cringed as the metal contracted as she put pressure on the shoot. Surely they would hear her decent and meet her on the bottom floor with more men than she could kill. Metal ridges fusing the dumb-elevator shaft together, scraped against her bottom and back as she moved down; eventually making her wonder if she'd started to bleed.

Two floors passed and Cathy's legs burned with the strain. Walking around D.C. the last few weeks had made her stronger but she'd lost most of it during her period of captivity. By the time she'd lowered herself a few floors, strength of will became the only thing keeping her up. Worst of all, Daring had been right about the spiders-her ass would break webs and send them flying up to touch her face and arms. Luckily she hadn't come across any of the web-makers.

The darkness nagged at Cathy. She couldn't see anything above or below her, so if the building had shifted and broken the elevator's route or created a hazard in some way-she wouldn't know. She tried to ignore this and focused on the nagging worry a spider would suddenly appear.

A few more feet down she stopped; the voices of people rushing around nearby made her afraid she'd been found out. A bead of sweat broke out on her upper lip and she drug her tongue across the salty liquid. The small space had a choking mildew smell but not as bad as the subway's she traversed. When the voices appeared to trail away she took another step, her foot caving in the corner of the sheet metal.

A jagged piece of metal cut into her shin and yelped in pain. The sound echoed up and down the shaft, coming to rest with an icy spike to her heart. The sting of the cut made her glad she'd taken the boots off the dead guard. If she hadn't looted his body she'd be unable to continue. Pulling her foot out of the hole she brought several objects with her, causing them to fall tunnel in a ruckus of metallic ping's.

When her foot made contact with the hole, she realized cobwebs have woven herself around her ankle and followed as she pulled her leg out of the hole. Licking at her sweating lip again, she moved her leg to make another step down, when she felt a several rounded, fuzzy points touch her leg. A small hairy torso made contact with her bare calf and Cathy screamed as she lost her footing.

Slamming down several feet of dumb-waiter, she landed poorly on top of a pile of newspapers. Her leg had knocked a small hole in the door to the shaft and she looked down at her hand. Beneath her finger sat several tarnished rings, old world dollar bills, and jewelry. She picked up a necklace, a red stone in a gold setting with diamonds around it, reflecting back at her in the light. Instinctively she reached for her own throat and tried to remember when she'd left the necklace Colvin had given her. She remembered leaving it on a shelf in Megaton and made a point to check for it when she got back.

Stuffing the jewelry into her side bag, Cathy pulled out a Stimpack and jabbed it in her leg for good measure. She felt bruised, her tailbone ached, and she had possibly sprained several bones but she hadn't snapped her neck. After the Stimpack kicked in she used her legs to kick open the door, amazed at how strong the adrenalin made her feel.

Stumbling onto a table and then scattering towards a door, she looked around a supply room before entering the restaurant. The room on the other side of the door proved well decorated with a nineteen fifties feel. All through the room were round tables, with red and white gingham tablecloths and fake flowers in mismatched vases. String lights swung overhead, showing off unexposed light bulbs-only a few burned out.

Fairly certain she didn't need another Stimpack, she looked around the room again, amazed no one had rushed in to arrest her when she hit bottom. Lifting shotgun, she aimed it at where the torso of a man would be and moved around the counter.

Nearing the door, an old woman pushed through, with a tray in her hand. It took a second for her to register the bespattered young woman pointing a shot gun at her, but when she did she threw the tray. Cathy knew this would finally bring the guards, so she rushed past the old woman, sending her falling to the floor.

Inside the entrance hall for Tenpenny Tower, she found herself eye to eye with five guards. They had been in a huddle but when they saw Cathy one of them announced, "That's her," and they moved towards her in unison.

"It's me." She growled back, pulling the trigger on the shot gun and blasting a fatal wound in the nearest guard. The other's reached for their guns as Cathy wheeled around and blew another man's head off.

A hail of bullets followed as she ran through the open door and out the front door. Her eyes found the gates at the end of a garden path and she hyper focused on reaching them. A com next to the gate suggested they opened through mechanical means. Fortunately the person guarding the entrance had stepped away.

The butt of her rifle came down on the button as she dodged behind the sandbags lining the walk. Bullets broke pieces of rock off the fence and she huddled behind the makeshift wall, shivering. She'd been nicked by a stray in a few places but they weren't shooting to kill her or she'd be dead by now. Pressing down in the dirt, she dug the tips of the boots in, preparing to dash as soon as they ceased firing.

When shots finally thinned out, Cathy prepared her legs to go, regretting how badly they hurt from all the exertion today. She held her breath, looking at the blue sky just beyond, when a voice caught her attention.

"Cathy Irving," Burke warned. "You've been a bad, bad girl, but I'm still willing to forgive you. With Tenpenny dead the power has shifted here. You'll have to pay for your crimes but I promise we'll spare your life if you surrender immediately to me."

Her heart twisted in her chest. How could he be stupid enough to think she'd willingly return to the tower? She looked up at the amazing height of it, and vowed to fling herself off if she were brought back inside. For a moment the ache in her legs made her debate giving up, but the memory of Burke's treatment refuted that inclination.

"Cathy don't be a fool," He called. "Justice will be served, even if I have to hunt you to the ends of the earth. I will never rest until you are back with me. Destroying your boyfriend and every citizen of Rivet City would be a trifle if our love can be reunited. You should know by now how little these people mean to me in the face of the Tenpenny's great project."

"Fuck this," She yelled.

Running as fast as she could, Cathy flew up out of the dust and rushed through the gate.

"Bring her down," Burke ordered, "but don't kill her."

More bullets. Several flew past her leg, almost catching her in the ankle as she ran. She zigzagged, trying to be as random as possible, hoping this would keep them from hitting her. She saw a metro station off in the distance and made it her objective. Every bullet fired, every footstep, every heart beat, were a second closer to freedom.

If the bullets hit her she'd crawl. If she fell she'd get back up again. If Burke caught up to her she'd wrench away from his gasp. Nothing would keep her from being free of him. No one could hold her in bondage and if Burke couldn't see her value she didn't want him. Her greatest value lay beyond his golden cage, if he didn't see this he was a bigger fool than she'd ever considered.

A throbbing sent pain through her sinuses and ears, as the last bit of energy drove her towards the station. Each step felt heavy and broken. For a moment she imagined she saw muzzle fire green snot but she put it out of her mind. She saw another green bolt fire from in front of her but she ignored it, no time to process. The Crumbling concrete edge of the Metro rose up out of the ground and an arm grabbed her and swung her close to its chest.

Her hands flew in frenzy, all she could think of was Burke strangling her-Burke forcing her to do unspeakable things she couldn't refuse. Her blows land repeatedly before she saw Harkness smiling at her, the green nose of his Plasma Rifle peaking up over his shoulder.

"How did you get here?" she asked.

"Your brother and father sent word you had disappeared," he answered. "I could not have that. We will talk later, honey, we have to get out of here right away."

Leading her by the hand, Harkness descended into the metro, locking the gate behind them before running off into the darkness. The swift way he moved through the pitch black tunnels told her he could see better than her in the darkness and the idea of being trapped again made her feel sick.

They hadn't gone far when they entered a side room and Cathy pulled back on his hand. When he looked back she collapsed onto her knees. Harkness followed her down, scooping her up in his arms as she started to sob. He reached behind her, rubbing her back and cooing into her hair. She grabbed him, squeezing the flesh, unable to believe he had come for her. He'd saved her and now she needed to be weak for a moment.

Behind them gunshots echoed into the subway tunnel. It sounded like the guards from Tenpenny Tower had shoved the mussels of their guns through the fence and fired a few rounds out of frustration. She squeezed Harkness harder when silence came.

"You think you've escaped me," Burke called suddenly. "You'll never be rid of me, my little bird."

Kissing her face with a thousand small kisses, Harkness whispered. "No. Never. I will never let him have you again. You are safe."

"Run to the ghouls Cathy," Burke teased. "Look into their half dead faces and think about your future. I won't let you linger in peace before you go to see God. I will hound you at every corner, fill every shadow with my essence and the one moment you're vulnerable I will manifest and drag you back."

"There are no monsters in this world," Harkness continued. "Just animals and evil men. He is angry because you have won."

These words punched Cathy in the gut. She leaned back and looked at Harkness, who gave her a gentile grin. With psychic precision Burke called out again. "Remember I know your lover's secret, Cathy. If you wish to keep him safe, return to me in three days."

These words made Cathy rise like an automaton. She rose and took a step towards the doorway-back to Burke. Harkness caught her around the waste and stopped her. He pressed her deeper into the room and she proved too weak to fight him.

"What is he talking about?" His eyes shined in the darkness. They had to see differently than hers.

Her curiosity about Harkness's vision broke when she noticed how worried he looked. She felt heavy and broken. Burke had won in a way she never considered. She assumed she could escape into the wastes and he'd refocus on someone else. Killing Tenpenny must have shifted things, or he really was that obsessed.

"Cathy, what does this mean?"

Harkness looked scared and she hated herself for it. He should be afraid and she wished she could lie to him.

"He knows-He knows." She didn't feel her mouth open, but she heard her voice.

"He knows what?" Harkness asked. He grabbed her by the shoulders to emphasis the point. He looked so afraid, she had been right to believe in his humanity, this couldn't be faked. Yet his pain existed as another stab to her heart. She wept bitterly now.

"He found Pinkerton," She pleaded. "He had a spy follow me in Rivet City. He has them everywhere. Pinkterton told the spy everything-sold you down the river for bragging rights. I don't know who all knows, but Burke does and he'll tip off The Institute if he has to. I'm sorry Theo, I've ruined your new life."

One of his harsh laughs made Cathy look at Harkness like he'd lost his mind.

"Nothing is ruined. I still have you and with that I can do anything. We cannot trust Pinkerton, and he will have to be dealt with, but if Burke is the only one who knows, than I am glad. He is easily dealt with. I feel better about assisting the Ghouls trying to get into The Tower now."

She had no idea what he meant but felt comforted anyways.

Holding her again, Harkness planted a kiss on the top of her head. She could feel his smiling lips on her crown and she buried her face in his shirt. She listened in the stillness of the tunnel, holding out for any sign of a heartbeat. Instead of anything biological, she heard a faint whirring, like she'd heard on the deck of the ship.

"He's not going to stop," she whined. "Only death can stop him and I've already killed too many people."

"You must have killed Tenpenny while trying to escape."

"How'd you know?"

She looked up at him.

He smiled down.

"Because he is a scoundrel and I do not see you letting that slide. Also, they were chasing you pretty hard. I do not think The Tower would react so vehemently if you had not."

"I guess you're right," She said. "I'm still putting you at risk by refusing to walk there and surrender to Burke."

Harkness laughed again. "You need to meet Roy."

"Does Roy have a place for me to sit down?" she asked. "You have no idea what I've been through and my legs are killing me."

His eyes swept over her, a closer examination than he'd had time to give before. The smile he'd boasted melted and his fingers instantly went to the place on her scalp where Burke had bashed her head against the counter. His thumb ran across a hairless patch of fresh skin. The Stimpack had healed the wound but it couldn't make hair grow.

He tilted her neck up, confirming he could see better in the dark, and studied her faded black eye carefully. The softest touch moved from her eye down to a yellowing bruise on her neck and then the freshly healed cuts on her back-from the elevator shaft. She hadn't noticed the slip had become stiff with blood clots, and when she moved she could feel it pull. The Stimpack she used healed the scratches on her back too but she blood hadn't vanished.

Warm points of flesh made her shiver as he fingered the holes in the back of her slip. It must be shredded. HE would have kept going but she gathered his hands and shook her head. He used his fingers to catch her hair and he kissed her scalp again.

"You must be exhausted. We have a little ways to go, I can carry you."

Before Cathy could protest, his arms were under her legs and he'd pressed her to his chest. She didn't weigh much and she had no idea how strong he had been made. His footsteps were labored but he had no trouble moving them through the metro offices, into a makeshift living area.

A female Ghoul walked up to Cathy, scanned her then looked at Harkness for explanation. A weary grin on his lips, he spoke gently, "How you doing Bessie Lynn?"

Gentle fingers rested on Cathy's leg and Bessie Lynn's face spoke to her kind heart. In contrast a male ghoul appeared out of the darkness with a cruel eye and cocky strut. He too studied her and she saw him linger on the markings covering her body.

"This your girl?" he asked.

"Yes." Harkness said, putting her down on the floor. She stumbled a little, her legs more painful than she remembered and Harkness steadied her with an arm at her side.

"She managed to free herself," he said, "and shot Tenpenny in the process. That should make things easier to accomplish. We should hit them while they are in turmoil over his death."

"Who did that to her?" The male ghoul pointed at her black eye.

"Not me," Harkness answered.

This seemed to relax Roy. He held himself like a man of authority who didn't back down. She respected him for making sure Harkness didn't beat women. Something about him continued to demand answers, however; and she knew he wouldn't stop until someone told him who hurt her.

"Burke did it," Cathy blurted.

A look passed between the male Ghoul and Harkness. Both nodded and the male ghoul extended his hand. "Roy Phillips, good to meet'cha. If Tenpenny's dead, Burke's probably jockeying to be in charge. Guess that makes him a target."

"He has to die," Harkness said. "It is my condition for helping with this."

Unable to remain ignorant any longer Cathy asked, "What's happening?"

"Tenpenny Tower is going to fall," Roy announced. "Those ghoul-hating bigots are going to find out how dangerous we really are. Your man Harkness has been infiltrating them for days now, trying to find out where you are and helping us. Now everything's in place and we're going to make them pay."

Begging became her instant and unexpected response. "Please, don't kill Daring Dashwood."

Roy and Harkness were both staring at her now.

"Give me a good reason not to burn every smoothskin in the place."

"He helped me escape," She said. "He's a good man. He helps people who are enslaved reach freedom. Plus he used to work with a ghoul, treated him as a peer-I don't think he is the one keeping you out."

These words sat with Cathy for a moment and she felt defeated. Their plan hadn't been spelled out for her but soon Burke would be dead and her biggest problem would be gone. As she tried to process how she felt her knees grew weak and she stumbled. The female ghoul reached for her, alongside Harkness, and both lead her to a nearby bed. She sat on it, her back against the grimy wall and she felt the stiff cloth of her gown press against her back.

"Good God," Roy cursed. "Bessie Lynn do you have anything more suitable to put her in? What kind of crazy smoothskin runs out into the wastes wearing a ripped up slip."

Jumping at Roy's orders Bessie Lynn muttered, "Sure baby," and headed towards a footlocker.

"I didn't have any choice. He kept me tied up in these nightgowns and a slave smuggled me lock picks-in exchange for me disarming her bomb collar-God I hope Nina made it."

"No idea," Harkness said. "You are luckily. I had been doing some reconnaissance work for Roy when you ran out of the gate. They always lock the way in, so if I had not been there you would have been caught."

The idea flooded Harkness's eyes with pain and he embraced Cathy again. This time she hushed him, planting a little kiss on his scalp. Roy watched them, his arms crossed as Bessie Lynn brought Cathy a modest looking blue dress.

"You should look nice in this color," She said. "I'm sorry it's not better but I don't have a lot in your size."

"It's beautiful, thank you," Cathy said. "It'll be nice to feel like a human again."

Harkness kissed the tips of her fingers before rising. Standing next to Roy he gave the impression of being fierce. She had no doubt whatever they were concocting would succeed and it made her wonder about him. Fingering the fabric she tried to hide her awkwardness.

"You're a lawman Theo, how can you do this?"

"I hunted men for a living remember," Harkness responded.

She felt surprised he'd let Roy hear this but he hadn't mentioned the Commonwealth so they wouldn't understand.

"I live every day of my life in regret of the evil I have done. I strive to make good happen in whatever way I can. In Rivet City I am a model citizen but here is a different scenario. Most of the population of Tenpenny Tower made their money selling slaves or abusing people in some way."

Disgust filled his face as he continued. "One man fought captives in a pit for money. He had his own building for awhile, before he retired to The Tower. They accepted him, made him a board member. Then there is how Tenpenny made his money… It doesn't matter now, they need to suffer for their crimes against humanity.."

"They are bigots to boot," Roy added. "I have no pity for people who would judge another by the condition of his skin. By any means necessary."

Harkness nodded along to Roy's words and she knew why he had gone along with this insane plan. Everyone in Tenpenny Tower would answer for their sins, because he too understood the need for every sentient being to be treated as equals. They weren't fighting the fight for the same people but the fundamental cause remained. Roy probably thought Harkness strange, not realizing he related so intimately with the idea.

No matter how strong she could be, Cathy couldn't stop this. Harkness had to fight or he'd be selling a principal to precious to let go. Perhaps he thought he'd redeem himself by purifying the Wastes of a couple-hundred evil assholes. She'd be there when he finished, like he'd been fighting to save her from Burke.

"Burke has to die," She pleaded.

"Death to those oppose us," Roy answered.

"Please save Dashwood."

Repeating the request made Roy uneasy. He shifted a little and looked at Bessie Lynn before turning and nodding at Cathy.

"I know his radio show," he said. "He will live but he can't stay here."

"Take the key to Burke's house in Megaton," She said. "The water is bad but Daring will probably be happier around good people."

"Your woman's alright, Harkness," Roy said. "I can see why you fought so hard for her."

"Thanks," he gushed. "I will have to keep her. She is right about Burke needing to die, though. That man is a weasel and will not stop till he destroys both of us."

"Since we're not springing your girl I'll consider it your price for working for me. Let's do this thing."

"Very well." Harkness nodded. Adjusting his weapons, he smiled at Cathy. "We will be back soon, my dear. Please get some rest and wait for my return."

"I don't want to ever go back there," Cathy said. At some point she had begun to shake. The same traumatic memories flashed back in her head and she thought she might pass out.

"I will not make you," he said. "After this we will meet your father and brother at the Memorial. They promised to wait for you before beginning work."

"I love you," She pleaded. She needed to hear this, to know someone thought of her more than a thing to be used up.

"I love you too," he said. "I love you enough to destroy hundreds of lives to set you free and now to prove my love I will not stop until I kill the man who would keep us apart."

"Is it wrong to be afraid of that?" She asked.

"No," Harkness answered.

Rather than linger, he turned and left in the opposite direction of Roy Phillips. She watched him fade into the dark tunnels, undaunted by the shadows inside. When he'd gone she realized she didn't really know Harkness, the sweet man she'd met in Rivet City had changed the night she restored his memories. This new person seemed chaotic and more cavalier than the man she first met.

Would he turn out like Burke? The idea made her head swim and she looked for a place of refuge. Her body felt encased in pins, ready to sink down slowly into pain if she moved left or right. Her eyes rested on Bessie Lynn who sat cross legged and pretty. She noticed Cathy's look and stiffened.

"I'm sorry," she pleaded. Her voice sounded pathetic, like she'd been beaten down to many times. "I haven't seen a female smoothskin in so long, and you're so pretty-I used to be pretty like you."

"You still are."

Shocked, Bessie Lynn stood from her chair and began to hover about the room. After digging through a shelf to find a large basin her and a rag she placed the items against her legs and looked nervious. "The water isn't good, but I can heat it up so we can clean you up."

"You're a kind soul. Must be why Roy likes you. I bet you balance each other out."

"He's a good man." She spoke, more to herself than anyone else.

"I'm sure he is."

Nodding, Bessie Lynn looked at Cathy and the twin got the impression she had become overwhelmed with fear. "Sometimes I don't know."

"Do you ever?" Cathy asked.

Thinking about the behavior of men, she touched the rag to her chin then bobbed her head up and down in confirmation. "Not in my experience."

"I guess we'll just have to be happy with what we've got."

"I guess."

Satisfied seeming, Bessie Lynn went to draw water and Cathy fell over onto the soiled mattress and tried to get some sleep. Overhead hundreds may be dying, including the man she once thought she loved, but right now her body hurt and she needed rest. After she meet up with Caleb and her father again she could process what is happening between her and Harkness-What had happened between her and Burke. Hopefully she'd been stronger at that point.


	10. 31-33

31

The ghouls gave Cathy what remained of her supplies and gear. The men from Tenpenny had picked it over, selling off the most valuable parts to traders early on. Fortunately, no one could afford Harkness's gun until he bought it back himself.

She stood at the base of the Tower in the early morning light, staring up at smoke swirling out of a window. Ghouls roamed the yards; moving bodies around like nothing had happened and guilt plagued her soul. Worst of all, Daring Dashwood emerged, from his room and spit in her face. He'd called her a murderer before he'd been kicked into The Wastes.

Trying to help, she promised Daring she'd find him a new place to live. Roy offered to let him send for his things but nothing dissuaded the old man from his anger. Eventually Harkness calmed him down and convened him to follow a caravan towards Rivet City. "If you have enough caps they can always convert a new room on the boat."

In the rosy light of morning the couple trudged towards Megaton. Harkness convinced her it would be best to restock there before heading to the memorial. Supermutant raids made walking into the rubble dangerous within the best gear and the blue dress Cathy wore wouldn't provide much protection. She followed Harkness because he had a plan and she couldn't think very well.

Evening fell when Megaton came into sight. A few ants scurried near but they were quickly disposed of. During travel neither of them spoke much and Cathy felt relieved she didn't have to try to impress him all the time.

As the gates spread open, Cathy stepped into Megaton and she had the nagging feeling she'd come home. The citizens near the gate stopped and looked at them with distaste, avoiding whatever path they took. The ugly looks made Cathy press her hand into Harkness's and he squeezed her fingers assuringly.

A few feet away from her brother's house Lucas Simms stopped them. He seemed older, in his faded brown trench coat and cowboy hat. The air of authority he carried caused Harkness to straighten up and the two exchanged glances ending in her lover bowing his head. His lack of power in Megaton made her feel vulnerable.

"You kids aren't going to clean us out and let a bunch of muties move in, are you?"

"No," Harkness responded. "We are going to buy some supplies, rest up, and get out."

"That's alright by me," Simms said. "No one had any love for Tenpenny Tower, but I won't go down so easy. Got me? With what happened recently I'll go easy on Miss. Irving but you I don't know."

"I am the head of the Rivet City Guard," Harkness said. His weariness made the words extra bitter. "I am a lawman at heart."

"Not what the radio says," Simms responded. "You're wanted for questioning and on probation until further notice."

Paler somehow, Harkness turned to look at Cathy. She didn't know what to say, so she squeezed his hand again. After a few seconds he squeezed back. She'd ruined his life because she had been stupid enough to sleep with Burke. NO matter how hard she tried she could never make this up to him.

"My Pip-Boy radio makes me sick," Cathy said. "I haven't heard what's going on in days-weeks... Burke kept me tied up in the Tower. He beat me and-I tried to stop him. I had no choice but he wouldn't stop and…"

The words failed her, not that she wanted it to tell Simms but he seemed to sense her meaning. Her legs trembled and Cathy squatted down on the metal sheeting in front of her brother's house. Everything spun and she thought for a moment she'd pass out. When she came too, Harkness hovered next to her in the dust, his fingers inches from her body. Simm's seemed sympathetic now.

"I never liked that Burke. I was glad when he left. The radio didn't say anything about any of that."

"I'll feel better when I see dad again," She sniffled. "Getting a hug from him is all that's keeping me going. I want him, me, Caleb and Harkness to all sit together at dinner, like we used to in the vault-well not Harkness-but still. After that everything will be okay, I can feel it."

Simms's face grew gloomier with these words. He shuffled his boot in the dirt, stirring up motes around him. Cathy rose with Harkness's help and stared at him.

"What is it I don't know?"

"I guess you really haven't listened to the radio." Simms's stared at the ground and couldn't look her in the eye any longer. "Isn't my place to say, mame'. I'll talk to the folk in town and make sure they won't give you the stink-eye anymore."

"Thanks."

Cathy felt bewildered by the exchange. The mayor-sheriff tipped his hat and walked away from the couple. She looked over at Harkness, who shrugged and ran his hand through her hair.

"We can overcome anything," he said. "Do not forget that."

"Okay," she smiled. Maybe everything would be alright.

"I am looking forward to meeting your dad again," he said. "He seemed like a good man."

"Me too."

The door to her brother's house slid open with less trouble than she remembered. The MR. Handy swam over, extending long tendril arms in greetings. She watched Harkness with him, asking the robot to tell a joke, wondering how alike they were, really. Looking at them they seemed completely disconnected. Mr. Handy didn't even walk, he floated on a gas cylinder in the middle of his frame and his head was a round dome. How could they be anything alike?

How could they have the same rights?

Nudging the red heart shaped bed on the floor, Harkness grinned up at Cathy. "Want to explain this?"

She opened her mouth to respond but another woman's voice answered. "It's a bed."

Upstairs stood a coffee skinned woman with white hair, wearing power armor, and staring back at them. Instinctually, Cathy moved next to Harkness, fingering the holstered gun at her side. With a novel smile on her face, the soldier moved down the stairs, her feet sounding as if they might crush the steps.

"Your brother asked me to stay here," She said. "He thought you might come by before heading to the Memorial. Have you heard the radio broadcasts?"

"No," Cathy responded. "People keep asking me but I get radio sickness. I can't turn on my Pip-boy."

"That's what your brother said," She responded. "I am Star Paladin Cross. I escorted Caleb here after the Jefferson Memorial fell to the Enclave."

"What the fuck is the Enclave?" Cathy asked.

"Enclave," Harkness repeated. "Where is her brother and father?"

"I'm sorry." Star Paladin Cross bowed her head and seemed solemn.

For some reason Cathy's brain had stopped working. "About what?"

"Honey," Harkness pleaded. He sounded grim and she couldn't understand why.

"Where is Caleb?"

"Your brother is in Vault 101."

"Why is he there?"

The Paladin ran her gloved hand through her hair and looked around the room for help. Refocusing on Cathy she sighed.

"This would be easier if you'd been listening to the radio."

"Well I haven't. You're going to have to tell me what happened."

"There was an emergency signal from 101," Cross explained. "I assume your brother is doing fine. He is a brave person, I'm sure he's alright."

The next question Nagged at Cathy, she clinched her fists and her mouth felt dry. She turned around looking for help. Biting her lip she laughed nervously and asked, "Dad went with him?"

"I'm sorry," Cross repeated. "That's the part I wish Caleb had been here for. He wanted to tell you himself."

"Dad's hurt?" Cathy stuttered. "Where is he?"

"I am afraid it's worse than that."

A hand landed on Cathy's shoulder, it belonged to her lover. She barely noticed him in the room.

"How could it be worse? He can't be dead."

Once again Cross couldn't maintain eye contact.

"He's not dead," Cathy yelled. Rage settled into her gut. How dare this stranger lie to her like this? "I didn't get to see him again, he can't be dead. It's not fucking fair if he's dead."

The hand on her shoulder tightened its grip and she shoved it off her. Backing up she, slammed into the table holding the bobble-heads her brother collected and scowled in pain at the action. It didn't hurt badly but everything seemed elevated right now.

"He's alive!" she screamed. "You're lying to me."

"I wish I was," Cross said. "He died a hero's death, defending the purifier from the Enclave. They overran it. Dr. Li, your brother, and all of the lab assistants barely escaped with their lives. They are continuing their research in the Citadel and I escorted your brother here to look for you. Trust me; I never wanted to bring another mourning Irving to this town again. Not after your dad."

"He's not dead." Tears streamed down Cathy's face, as she shrank to the ground again. This time she had a bed to fall onto, and her hands flopped helplessly around in the folds of the blankets. "He can't be gone."

Above her Harkness hovered, his mouth a thin line of worry. He wrapped one of the blankets around her and gently tapped her chin with the tip of his finger. Lips distorting in pain, Cathy felt tears flood down her cheeks. The way he looked at her now, full of pitty and worry, she knew.

"I'm never going to see him again, Theo."

"I know Kitty-I wish I could change it."

"If I'd been there," She shuttered, "If I'd never slept with Burke-I wouldn't have ruined so many lives."

"It's not your fault," Cross said. "No one saw this coming. You couldn't have fought them off."

"I could have saved dad," She cried. "I would have shot the man who tried to hurt him."

A caress came down her cheek and she looked at Harkness for help. "Burke kidnapped you, Cathy. He did horrible things to you and you recently broke free. You did everything you can to get back to your dad, it's not your fault he's gone. No one could have known."

Desperate to make this different, Cathy lashed forward at the woman in the metal armor. She remembered the Brootherhood in their steal fortress, refusing to lower themselves to help the common man. Her father risked his life and they did nothing to help. Thinking about him dying in the run down memorial while they sat on stock piles of weapons infuriated her and she wanted to make them pay.

Her hands and legs kicked wildly as Harkness held her back from Star Paladin Cross. He began to drag her up the stairs when Cathy howled down. "It's your fault! All you assholes in the Brotherhood of Steel stood by and watched as he died. You sat in your Citadel, jerking off over old technology and let the rest of us suffer. My dad was a great man. He wanted to make free, clean water and you couldn't even keep him safe from whoever the Enclave is."

"I'm sorry," Cross repeated but Cathy didn't hear.

Inside her brother's bedroom, Harkness threw her down on the bed and held her down by the shoulders. He was gentle but her body hurt none the less. Being restrained made things worth and she found herself willing to fight him. Despite her physical abuse, he kept her at his side until she devolved into a puddle of water and mess. After awhile she hyperventilated then fell into asleep. As quite swirled around her, she thought she heard a door lock and Harkness's steps as he went down the stairs.

In the morning Harkness brought her a breakfast of Mirelurk egg and cheese. The food looked disgusting but he made her eat it. Soft pets to her head made Cathy feel optimistic, as he told her about the trading he'd already done in the town.

"Have you heard from Caleb?" Cathy asked.

"No one has heard from the vault since the signal cut off," Harkness said. "I'm sure he's fine though."

"He has to be."

"He will be."

The assurance made her feel stronger. After breakfast they turned on the radio and listened to the news broadcasts. She wept when Three Dog told the story of how her father died defending the purifier. Smiled when she heard about her brother bringing the lab people to safety and how Li was still working to save her father's project. Then the news shifted to her and Harkness.

Three Dog crooned, "Apparently they helped the ghouls slaughter the entire tower, ladies and gentlemen. Citizens of Rivet City have asked Theo Harkness be brought up on charges for his assistance in mass murder and other factions are interested in finding out Cathy Irving's role. A new rumor has surfaced that Harkness helped the ghouls to save his woman from a nefarious member of the tower, but this story remains unverified. Dead dad and a Wasteland turned kangaroo-court; I'd hate to be Cathy Irving right now."

"I'd hate to be me too."

Rubbing her face, she focused on the Paladin, who sat on a chair near them, deep in consideration. Whatever weighted on her soul, Cathy decided she didn't care and went down stairs to pretend to tidy something.

"You can't run away from this," Cross called out. "You did something evil."

"I saved myself and killed several monsters in the process. My hands aren't as dirty as anyone in that tower's were."

Cross started blankly in disapproval while Cathy did the dishes. She refused to care about what the old woman though. Truthfully, Harkness had been distant since they got to Megaton and that bothered her more.

"I guess you are right," Harkness said from his place on the floor. "I cannot go home, I am afraid."

"They have no right to put you on trial," Cathy said. "You did what you did to save me. Only evil people lived in the tower and they deserved to suffer. Didn't you say most of them were slavers?"

A knock came from the door. Cathy's heart rose as she ran to opened it. On the other side stood her brother and she wrapped both of her arms around him.

"You're alive," she called out. "You're alive and okay, I'm so glad."

Saying nothing, Caleb pushed his way past her and into the living room. He walked to the back wall, picked up a bottle of liquor and took several gulps. When he finished he looked at his sister with disgust.

"Back from a day's genocide?"

These words felt like a slap to the face.

"I didn't do it," She said. "I killed Tenpenny, that's all."

"Like you had to kill Moriarty, right?"

Since they parted Caleb had aged considerably. Glee used to surround her brother and now faded into scorn. This wounded her deeper than her father's death. They had both changed so much and she didn't know who they were anymore.

Falling into the chair she wept, since they'd returned to Megaton everything made her cry easily. Caleb didn't care and Harkness didn't stir from his perch overhead. Maybe he thought they needed to hash this out on their own. Dishes clinked in the kitchen and Cathy assumed her brother had been hungry.

"Is the vault okay?" She asked.

"They will be," he said. "I convinced most of them to stay safely inside. A few wouldn't listen. Your Butch is ever the stubborn child."

Another name, more pain. "Is he well?"

"Sure." Caleb sounded exasperated. "Peachy-keen. Smoothed faced baby still thinks he can make it as a raider out here. Wouldn't listen to a damn word I had to say. Told me to tell you hi and that he'd try to find you after he'd lived a little."

"Idiot," Cathy groaned.

"That's what I'm saying," Caleb responded. "Of course I didn't tell him how you'd turned into a mass murdering harlot."

"I haven't killed anymore than you have." All of the pity she felt for her brother washed away. He had to be grieving for their father but he didn't have to be a dick.

"You killed innocent people."

"Name me one," She punctuated this by crossing the room and driving her finger into his chest. "What innocent have I slaughtered? Tell me the name of one man I killed that didn't deserve to die just like all those raiders, mutants and ghouls you've killed."

A sneer came from Caleb and he turned to put a package of Dandy Boy Apples on a plate. The sight of them made Cathy wretch. Reaching into his Pocket, Caleb pulled out a key attached to a red ribbon, with a bird in a cage at the bottom of it. He dangled the thing in front of her face and thrust it into her hand. Her eyelids pressed open hard and she looked down at the tiny bird in its tiny cage, terror gripping at her being. How could this be?

"Guess you didn't kill everyone in Tenpenny Tower. He told me to tell you not to worry, he still loves you."

This made Cathy feel like she would vomit.

"Who told you that?"

Rolling his eyes, Caleb asked, "Who else?"

"But he's dead."

Before she could do anything else, Harkness came down the stairs, rounded the room and stood beside her. He took the red ribbon from her and held it up to the light. They both stared at it with terrified fascination. Resigning himself, Harkness pressed the item into her palm and closed her fingers over it.

"Phillips lied to me."

"Or Burke made him a better offer."

"What are you two talking about?" Caleb seemed genuinely confused.

"Your sister had nothing to do with the raid on Tenpenny tower. I lead it to free her from Burke, my condition being that he dies and Daring Dashwood live."

From the chair Cathy had been occupying, Caleb crossed his legs and sat the plate down. He took a bite of the small white snack cake, chewing without savoring-like you did with all the bland Wasteland food. When he'd finished he shook his head and studied to two.

"You tried to kill Burke to win my sister's hand," Caleb repeated. "You're just as disgusting as she is."

"You're not listening to your sister or Harkness," Cross said from the top of the stair. "I spoke with Mr. Harkness for quite some time last night and he gave me the whole picture. Burke is the evil one; he tied your sister up, abused her and did unspeakable things-things no man should do."

"I don't get it," Caleb said. "She slept with him before. How do I know she didn't consent and lied to Harkness about it later?"

What hurt the worst is the way he spoke about her. He acted like she couldn't hear him. Didn't he see her standing there? The little girl who came from the same womb, who shared a lifetime of memories, the only one who mourned their father with him?

"She was kidnapped trying to guard you," Harkness corrected him.

"I found the note on Charon's corpse, Cathy."

Stirring from her thoughts, Cathy realized everyone in the room watched her. She started at Caleb, the hate on his face beating into her chest like a hammer driving a nail. Fidgeting with her hair, she looked up at the railing and realized she'd ruined everything. She'd never be free of Burke and Harkness would continue to pay for her mistakes.

"I haven't written a note in a long time." She finally said.

"You wrote one nearly a month ago when Charon died."

"No," She shrieked.

The memory of that day came pulsing back, just like the memory of the giant mutant and the night Burke crawled into bed with her. Everything churned into a cesspool of memory and she choked on filth as she tried to return to the top. "They threw the grenades in the window before everything went black. I remember the smoke."

"There wasn't much of him left," Caleb said. "What did you do to him Cathy? Punish him for being mean to you?"

"He saved me."

"So you killed him."

"No."

She felt desperate for something to cling to and everyone seemed too far away to reach. If the gap closed she wasn't sure she'd be safe anyways.

"Charon tried to save me from Talon Company. We opened the door and they had a bounty with my picture on it. He lifted me up through the window and they used either to knock me out. I knew he died but I blacked out and when I woke up-Burke…"

"I wish I could believe you," Her brother said. "Watching our father die in that room changed me, Cathy. I can see all of the injustice in the world. I can see how the Wasteland eats people up and the need to restore society. The purifier is the first step in making everything they way it should be, with law and order ruling above all else. You swing in and poison that at every turn. Innocent or not, you're part of the rot that has robbed people of their humanity for far too long."

He stood now and she couldn't face him, couldn't see the monster in his shadow anymore. Had he given Dad one last smile before he passed into the afterlife, been the child he could be proud of forever and she'd been to far away to matter. Probably their father hadn't given her a second though; after all he'd left Harkness alone to save her from peril.

"Dad wanted me to forgive you for Moriarty," Caleb said. Maybe he could read her thoughts. "He told me you'd tried to do the right thing, asked me to acknowledge your part in disarming the bomb. I told him I believed if it wasn't for me, Burke would have manipulated you into killing everyone. You deserve him, Kitty. I'm just sorry you've ruined this man's life in the process."

"I love your sister," Harkness said. "You do not know what she has saved me from."

"A happy life," Caleb smarted. "Success. A bright future."

"I am the android," Harkness said.

Grasping his arm, Cathy shook her head. They couldn't trust Caleb and he had to know this.

"You're crazy too," Caleb said. "Good, I needed to feel good about getting rid of you two."

"You do not understand what I am telling you."

Her brother's hands swept wide, landing on his thighs with a pop as laughed in frustration. "Well what then? Explain it to me like I'm five."

With a weary glance up to Paladin Cross, Harkness looked back at Caleb and sighed. He opened his mouth again, then stepped back and laid his head in his hand. Resignation forced Star Paladin Cross to express a sudden need to go for a walk. They waited until she'd shut the door to continue.

"Zimmer hunted an android in Rivet City. I am that android. Your sister saved me from slavery, just like she freed a slave in Tenpenny tower before the raid, just like she freed Gob and Nova. In every instance she has gone to great length to restore the fundamental rights of those held in bondage. Your methods are different but you wish for the same thing."

"You're full of it," Caleb countered. "The lies you two tell in a moment of desperation are sad."

"I can prove it."

Pulling a knife from his hip, Harkness looked to Caleb, trying to assure him about the lack of violent intent. The twin settled down, his fingers moving away from the holster they swung to in defense. Bringing the tip of the knife against his finger Harkness pierced his skin and a white bead of blood oozed out. Caleb's face showed that he didn't know how to react and Cathy watched the whole thing with a welcomed numbness.

"It's a trick," Caleb responded.

Turning the knife so the handle faced Caleb, Harkness offered him the blade. "Cut me, prove it to yourself."

Taking the knife and tossing it to the floor, Caleb picked up his own and grabbed Harkness's hand. He carefully cut a line down the palm, pulling back in fear as the white blood oozed out. Immediately he wiped the liquid off his blade and shrunk back from Harkness, who gave him an annoyed look and picked up the knife.

"You're with a machine," Caleb said to his sister. "How can you fuck a machine?"

"He has a dick. Remind me to explain how they work."

Caleb looked like he might slap her but she felt satisfied. Hatred for him festered up to the surface as he tried to process the secret he'd just been trusted with. She decided to take advantage his thinking to get the most important part in.

"Burke knows it," She said. "He threatened to use the information against him if I left and now it is only a matter of time until he rats us out. We can get Pinkerton to change Harkness's face again but then he has to be dealt with."

"Dealt with," Caleb repeated. "You mean he has to die. More death. You'd change your lover's identity to save him at the cost of a man's life. Who are you? Were we raised by the same man?"

"I can't win," Cathy groaned.

Behind her sat her new laser rifle, which she grabbed off the bookshelf and headed towards the door. She'd reached the handle when Caleb stopped her.

"You can't stay here Cathy," He said. "I know you're in danger and because of the love I have for you I'll give you time to sort it out. Dr. Li needs a thing called a GECK from a vault. I'm going to get it for her. It should take me three or four days to get there, find it and come back. By the time I get back, you need to be gone. I'll spread a rumor about your death to keep the heat off but I never want to see you again. If I ever hear about you anywhere near D.C. I will hunt you down."

"Like a dog," Cathy said to the door. She'd never turned to face him. They weren't family anymore and she didn't need too. She saw his face everytime she looked in the mirror anyway. "I'll leave Caleb, but you need to know that if we ever see each other again, I'll defend myself."

"You'll lose. Don't come back."

"I won't."

With nothing else to say, Cathy walked out the door and into the blistering sun. The heat on the metal radiated up through her shoes and she put her hands in her pockets as she walked down the hill. With each step the things she'd left in her brother's house began to run through her mind and she assumed since she didn't hear Harkness behind her, he would take care of their things.

When she left, she didn't have a destination planned and stopped walking in front of Burke's house. Why had she come here? No, she knew she would the second she saw the key. Tossing the red ribbon up and down in her hand she debated going inside. The bird cage charm mocked her when she moved towards either decision.

At last gave in and opened the door. Ripping the gun from her holster she swung around the shack, looking for any sign of a human inhabitance. The beams of light from the holes illuminated the darkness with a hazy orange glow that intensified on the table in the kitchen. On top of it lay the red dress with sequins, the one she'd worn the first day out of the vault.

Lowering her gun, Cathy stepped over and inspected the dress carefully. Half expecting a booby trap, she used the muzzle of her rifle to lift the cloth up enough to see under it. A noise came from behind her and she fired in the general direction of movement. When she opened her eyes Harkness stood in the doorway, over burdened with their gear.

"I am glad you are a shitty shot when you are scared."

"So am I," She laughed.

"I saw you slip in and followed."

He pushed in and set the excess on the floor. Instantly focusing on the red dress he stepped near the table and fingers one of the sequins before picking the garment up. Rolling the fabric around, he watched the sequins sparkle in the light, saying nothing, and avoiding the pain in her eyes.

"The key opened this house up, did it not?"

"Yeah."

"This is your dress."

"Yeah."

"Why is it here?"

"Burke."

"I know that." He seemed mad and she didn't blame him. She hadn't told him much about Burke or how they hooked up. He had a right to know.

"I had that on the day I left the vault." She explained and then realized she should be more upset. Had the dress lost all meaning or would things always be this detached?

"I want to see you in it." Harkness said. "You would look good in that color and I want to know what he saw that made him fall in love."

A tightness formed in Cathy's throat and made her wish he'd asked for anything else. She hadn't seen his eyes lighten this much in awhile and she couldn't imagine refusing him. With a slow hand she reached over and slid the red fabric across his hands, balling it up and pressing it to her chest.

"I'm afraid of it," She whispered.

"It is only a dress," he said. "I want to see you in it, see the sweet girl I met from the vault again. We were both different and I want a moment of that to return."

"It will," she said, "but I need a moment."

"There is a bathroom over there."

The door shut from his hand not hears. She didn't remember moving into the bathroom but did it really matter? Truthfully, many parts of today were hazy-her emotional state remained cut off and disjointed. Caleb's voice still nagged in the back of her mind. How evil could she really be? It didn't seem fair but she knew better than to argue with him. At least this drowned out the thoughts of how her dad had died.

Putting on the dress felt stupid and hollow, yet the sight of her made Harkness hold his breath. She could understand why, unlike the first time she put it on she filled out the bust while her waste sunk in more. Her body changed while she was in Tenpenny tower and she didn't like it.

"I know why he cannot let you go," Harkness said. "You are like a Cardinal with frost across your chest. How could any man ever see you like this and let you go?"

Despite his kind words her devils got the better of her. She couldn't accept that he wanted her or would be good. Her father's passing and brother's rejection made her afraid to hold anyone close.

"What if you have to?" she asked. Tears in her eyes.

"I will not," he said. "I have been considering our options and have a plan."

"You're doing better than me," she said, "But maybe you should think about letting me go."

"No," he insisted. "I love you too much."

"We barely know each other." She wanted this to end already. Didn't he see that she'd ruined his life and would continue to?

"You could go back to Rivet City with your new face, get another job as a guard."

"And slowly work my way back up," He said. "No. That wouldn't be wise."

"It would be safer than following me."

"I have gone too far, done too much to leave you now. Run away and I will find you."

"You'll hunt me." A desperate laugh escaped her lips. "Just like Caleb and Burke. Hound me till I die."

"Not the same." His palm moved along her shoulder. Fingers squeezed in and she slumped forward against his arm. "They do not love you like I do."

He lied like a human too.

"What's your plan then?" She asked.

"To enjoy you in that dress a few moments longer. After you change and we will go. We shall get our faces changed at Pinkerton's and you and I shall travel west. I hear there are societies that way. I've heard travelers tell stories of a great city in the desert and a huge country where Arizona used to be. Rumors say they thrive while others die out."

"West." Cathy forced the word out on the edge of her breath, and resolved to follow this part of the plan. West felt good on the tip of her tongue.

"Come with me to the west," He said. "We will start a new life together, find a home somewhere. The Commonwealth and D.C. will be so far behind nothing here will matter anymore. They cannot touch us."

Her smile could freeze a fire. "Only one problem."

"What is that?"

"We'll still be the same people, even if our faces are different."

"I do not see how that will matter."

Wringing her hands, she turned away from Harkness. The look on his face hurt too much. She knew what she needed to do and how she should go about it. The man had moved a mountain to save her and she owed him a debt deeper than she could ever repay.

"Let's get you to Pinkerton," She said. "We'll work out the rest as we go."

"I love you, Cathy."

"I love you too, Theo."

32

The Muddy Rudder lacked anything worth paying attention to. Cathy downed another whiskey, waiting for enough time to pass to go collect Harkness from Pinkerton. She'd had her face changed first, her nose sharpened and her chin modified. After shaving her hair off, except for bangs and side fringe, no one seemed to recognize her.

Drinking made everything fester in a pit so deep it created a false calm. She'd had a few too many in hopes more booze would equal greater peace and didn't intend to stop. Yet nothing could stop the constant flood of nightmares moving across her eyes at any given second, so she had another glass. A man walked past her in the bar and she tried not to startle as Burke settled down into a table. Waiting.

Of course he'd come here. Harkness and she had to return to change their faces and kill Pinkerton; everybody except the Pinkerton seemed to know this. A strange compulsion settled over Cathy, she ordered another whiskey and stood up to move towards the stair. Half way up the passage she found what she knew she wanted.

On this section of the ship a bronze pipe emerged from the wall, with a slick green coating to it. Freeing her knife from her hip Cathy scraped a healthy section of gunk onto her knife and stirred it into the drink. Unsatisfied, she removed another chunk of the verdigris and resumed mixing it in. Blending it well, she walked back into the Muddy Rudder and over to Burke.

Sitting the drink down, she smiled at him and he ignored her. She felt a little irked yet relieved when he didn't recognize her. Pressing her drink closer to his she smiled over at him and he pointedly looked away.

Shifting her voice into a higher register, mimicking an accent she'd heard in a movie, she spoke. "You look lonely."

"I'm not interested in talking to a creation like you. Kindly leave."

"Fine."

As she stood she palmed his drink and wandered back over to the bar. Downing his whiskey, she slammed the glass down and started to leave. By the time he'd finished the glass his guts would be bleeding out and she'd be free forever. For a moment she felt sad but the memory of him forcing his body on top of hers eased the pain.

When she rounded the stairs her heart stopped as a hand came down on her shoulder. Whipping around, her hand on a knife tucked into her belt as she prepared to fight, she yelled "What the fuck," before stopping cold. Butch stood in front of her with the same curled hair and worn leather jacket he'd always worn. Breathing hard, she walked over to lean against the wall near the bathrooms and tried not to start crying.

"Cathy?" His voice asked softly.

Watery eyes turned and met Butch, who smiled back at her. Doubt fluttered across his features, he lifted his hand as if he realized he'd made a mistake and would let her go. Before he changed his mind, his eyes settled on hers and he started towards her with determination. Afraid, Cathy grabbed him by the lapel and drug him backwards into the women's restroom.

A toilet flushed and an annoyed citizen stumbled out of the stall, shooting them a dirty look.

"Aren't you going to wash your hands?" Cathy screamed after her.

Butch laughed and she knew he recognized her now.

"You changed your face somehow," He said. "I'd know your eyes anywhere."

Taking pause to consider his words, Cathy thought about Burke sitting down in the bar, curelessly drinking his poisoned liquor. Laughter rocked her body backwards, as she leaned against the wall opposite the sinks. She felt desperate to cling to any moment of happiness, and it visibly worried Butch.

"Why are you hiding like this?" he asked. "Did you get in trouble?"

"Yes," She snickered. "Obviously. Do you really need to ask?"

"Don't be harsh, baby," Butch countered. "Caleb said you'd changed, I guess I didn't take it so literally."

"Caleb's an asshole-He made me do this. I have to leave Butch, I'm afraid I'll never see you again."

"Starting the raider band without me?"

The sweet smile on his face made her want to slap him back into the vault. Sure, he gave off the macho-guy vibe as always but having been around actual hard asses made his bluff obvious. From some bruising around his left eye, she assumed everyone here could see it.

A finger touched her bare scalp and Cathy jerked away defensively. Her hands wound to repel him if she needed to and he looked at her with pity. She felt disgusting standing in front of him wounded and broken. He knew her at best and most innocent. Every girlish mistake and awkward moment etched into his memory and she wished he'd never met her out here.

"Someone ruined your hair," he said. "I worked so hard to make it look good."

"I forgot you were a barber." She relaxed, because in the end this was Butch. "Life in the Wastes isn't' like life in the vault, dude. You can't just touch people."

"I guess you're right." His arms crossed and he tried to look tough. "You can't do a lot of things out here I thought you could. Did you see the monster's surrounding the city? Man, I'm not leaving this boat if I don't have to."

Another breathy laugh and Cathy felt like an old hag standing next to a toddler. "What happened to the bad ass raider wanna-be I left in the vault?"

"I'll get there," he said. "I'll save up with my job in the Muddy Rudder, get a gun, get some men and make a good living."

She laughed again.

"You think Raider's live well? Have you ever seen a raider?"

"I met a guy in the bar who says he used to be one."

Shaking her head, Cathy couldn't express how she felt to him, it would only hurt his feelings. She looked at the drying cloth hanging from his belt and assumed his shift just started. This seemed to be punctuated by the sound of Bell, the owner, yelling for something in the bar.

"Look chick," Butch started. "The Tunnel Snakes are gonna ride again-or slither-or whatever. We are gonna be bad. We are gonna be all knives and fangs and venom and no one will know what hit them. All the guard's here already know my name; they asked me like fifty questions before they lowered the bridge for me to get across."

"Uh-huh," Cathy nodded.

"I'll start out small. Sure, I cut some hair like I did in the vault, but mostly I clean up after drinkers. No one drinks in the vault but my mom. I'm living on the edge. I've met the underbelly of Rivet City and it is only a matter of time till they see my potential."

"So they've given you jobs but no gun?"

"No way," Butch said. "I don't want to get in trouble. Plus I'm keeping it open; I want to work for myself."

"You need a gun." She pinched her chin than extended her hand towards him.

"Nah, I can't afford one."

The corner of her mouth folded up around her eye and Cathy came so close to Butch her nose almost touched his. Her brown eyes glared into his before he turned away in shame and moved to the other side of the bathroom. She elongated herself, drinking in the victory.

"If you can't afford a weapon, you kill someone and take one. Get a pipe and bash in the head of a raider-maybe his gang will follow you for showing some initiative."

"Don't be mean." She'd hurt his pride and only when she remembered how she used to love him did she back off.

"I'm not mean, I'm realistic. You need to look out for yourself Butch, at least until you get some thugs to help you."

Cathy scratched her head and looked the other way to avoid provoking him further. A thought occurred to her and she pulled the birdcage key ring out of her pocket. The bauble interested Butch and she passed it to him carefully.

"I got a job for you," she said. "Give that to the man in the bar with the hat and sun glasses. The gruff one who is waiting for some chick to show up?"

"Why?" Butch seemed suspicious. "He means something to you?"

"It's a secret," she said. "Wait until he's finished that glass of whiskey and taken a few sips off the next one. He'll start to feel sick to his stomach, so give this to him when he's looking green."

"You didn't hurt him did you?"

The concern on Butch's face made Cathy snicker again.

"Nah, Butchy, it's a practical joke."

"Well as long as he'll be alright," Butch said. "When he found out I'm from Vault 101 he started tipping good. Asked me a bunch of questions about you, then told me to stop answering when I told him you and I had been sweethearts. I told him about that red dress you were wearing the night you left the vault and he seemed to get pissed."

Covering her mouth, she bobbed from side to side trying to hold back her amusement.

"How perfect," She gloated. "I bet you ruined his night."

Butch didn't seem impressed. He rubbed his arms and stared at his foot as he ground out an imaginary cigarette.

"I got to get back for my shift."

"One more thing, Butchy," she said. "He doesn't know me like this and can't. No one ever can. Tell him you got a letter; don't tell him you saw me."

"Why?" Butch seemed concerned.

"He's a bad man, baby," she said. "Real bad. Time he got his due."

"You really have changed," Butch said. "I don't know if I like it."

"You'll change too, I promise."

"I heard about your dad," he added. Looking for a reason to stay. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah I am too," she said. "I really need you to give the key ring to that guy though. Do it and you can come back and talk to me. I'll wait for you in the bathroom for the next few hours. I got a book to read, and your mission won't take long. He's probably half finished now."

"Sure," Butch said.

"See yah." Cathy smiled and watched him leave before mumbling, "Idiot."

33

Waking up from the anesthesia, Harkness looked at his face in the mirror. No one would recognize him, so he shot Pinkerton in the chest and walked out the door. For a moment he felt forty-two percent guilty about his actions, a low amount, so he resumed his previous protocol.

Inside the Muddy Rudder he found no trace of Cathy but noticed Burke drinking at a table in the center. As if it were timed for his benefit, he watched a young woman walked over and place the red ribbon on the table next to Burke. The scoundrel stood up from the table, then doubled over and began to vomit a disturbing amount of blood.

Cathy did it-Harkness deduced with eighty-seven percent certainty. Running this information through his system he found an ninety-two percent chance she'd fled and a twenty-two percent chance she'd been alone. As Burke vomited another round of poison, the citizens called for a medic, and Harkness calculated favorable odds he'd been poisoned. Deciding he had a high chance of winning Cathy over if he could catch her, he began pursuit.

The drawbridge moved three seconds faster than normal but felt far less efficient. Running along the path lining the river, he headed towards the path leading to the Citadel. A black helicopter flew over head as he crossed the water, making him look down to make sure the pavement wouldn't shake apart and drop him in the water. That is how he discovered the body floating nearby.

Returning to the shore and wading out, Harkness pulled back the corpse of a young man with a Pip-Boy. He had greasy black hair and appeared to have taken a plasma pistol to the stomach. Running different scenarios through his processor, Harkness tried to decide who killed him, Cathy or someone else.

Footsteps behind him lead Harkness to break off his computations and he turned to see Burke standing behind him. Green and winded from exertion, Burke stared out over the water before doubling over and vomiting more blood onto the bank. It took him awhile to recover.

Between gasps for air Burke spoke. "I Knew it had to be you when you ran out of the bar like that. Figured you'd get your face changed and when they gave me the key I knew she'd been the girl who sat at the table. I like her new nose."

"You seem ill," Harkness said. He felt ninety-eight percent sure he couldn't respond better.

"Bitch seems to be the end of me," Burke gasped. "I hope she falls into a Deathclaw nest."

"Why would she leave without me?" Harkness asked. He really didn't know. His system input assured him he felt sad and he wanted to know why she'd allow him to suffer.

"Because either she loves you too much to keep hurting you or she never loved you at all."

A high probability of both, Harkness sought more input. "Explain."

Burke bit down on his lip and leaned back, his hand wrapped around his stomach with the pain. His eyes seemed cloudy and the blood made his lips disturbingly crimson. "Women are fickle. I should have known better, you can't keep a bird like that caged."

"You are aware, she is not a bird."

"Yes." In all likelihood Burke's response indicated annoyance. "I thought when she saw what I had to offer… No, why lie? I wanted her because you had her."

"Her possession by another does make her more desirable," Harkness admitted. "I am trying to decide if I need to pursue."

"You'll never catch her," Burke chuckled. Blood began to trickle out of the corner of his eyes and it seemed likely the poison had moved into an advanced stage. "Even if you do-she will end up feeding you poison."

"Everything I know about her says she is a good person."

"What do you think Butch there would tell you? He was her first love and look how that turned out."

"He died from a Plasma Pistol. Cathy did not poses such a weapon when I saw her last."

"I'll have to trust your superior intellect. I hope you know I'm going to do everything I can to stop you."

"Of course. Nothing you have done before now would lead me to believe otherwise."

The two men looked at each other quietly. Harkness ran several scenario's through his brain and in all of them he could over power Burke easily. The man didn't have long to live and proved little threat.

"Good then," Burke said. "Did you know I've done business with some good ol'boys in the Commonwealth? They taught me a thing or two, gave me information you wouldn't expect."

Danger percentage ninety-eight point seven. Burke is wounded, near death and full of vengeance. Exit at easiest point.

Picking his feet up, Harkness moved through the water and prepared to cross the river. His body made him too heavy to swim, but he did not need oxygen for eight minutes and twenty two seconds. Right before he backed all the way into the title basin, Burke began to recite something.

"Restore-factory-memory file-"

A ca-chunk came from a laser rifle and Burke's head split open as Harkness submerged himself in the radioactive water. Turning towards the other shore, he slowly walked up the bank, using his hands to pull him up over the rocky shore. As he emerged from the water he saw a pair of familiar legs waiting for him.

A helping hand descended and Harkness looked up to see the brand new face of his lover smiling at him. Holding on to her dry fingers, he let her pretend she could help him up. Stepping back, she readjusted her laser rifle and his mood dropped when he saw a Plasma Pistol on her belt. Incapable of calculating the likely hood of her killing butch with this information, he chose to let her explain. Before he could ask any questions he followed her eyes to the shore where both of her ex-lovers lay dead.

"Enclave," she explained. "They got the drop on us in one of those helicopters. I killed them both-I told him to stay behind."

This answer satisfied him.

"Misery follows you always," he said. "Perhaps in the west we will find our lucky charm."

"You're sweet," she responded. "Let's get out of here before we run into Caleb and The Boob's of Steel."

He felt certain laughing would be a proper response so he did. Emotions were becoming completely natural and every time he looked at her they radiated into him. A signal from his cortex suggested he take her hand, so he did.

Together they headed off towards the western horizon and he turned on his compass to keep a safe bearing on the direction. Her face turned white and he paused to look at her. Paleness could denote issues with human biology, it would be best to inquire.

"What is wrong?" he asked.

"I turned on my Pip-Boy radio is all," she whispered. This made her feel nauseous so he needed to find out what she hoped to learn.

"What does it say?"

"I died in outside of Megaton-Revenge for what happened at Tenpenny Tower. It looks like Enclave abducted Caleb from the vault. He got the GECK and destroyed their base escaping since I've died; they started calling him the "Lone Wanderer," and keep saying how sad it is to lose a twin and a father in a matter of days. They only have good things to say about dad-"

Water leaked out of the side of her eyes and Cathy began to sob. Harkness had been prepared for this. Every day his brain calculated a greater chance she'd break down and need him. He wrapped his arm around her and vibrated imperceptivity when she pushed her face into his chest. The smell of her hair calmed him and he felt strong enough to protect her from anything.

"Your brother will be okay alone."

"We both will be," She responded, "But I think it's better to be with you than alone."

He believed her.

"Come on baby." He spoke softly and then his voice boomed across the Wastes. "The west is calling. Let us start over again."


End file.
